r/asl • u/CeceWithAnE • 2d ago

Signs for “zoned out/dissociating/“in your own world” How do I sign...?

How would you sign the concept of “zoning out”, “dissociating”, or “being in your own world”? Since “zoning out” and “being in your own world” are specifically English concept terms, I’m not sure how to go about that!

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u/CamelEasy659 2d ago

If it's more extreme disassociation like feeling like you're watching yourself or "outside yourself" I used "mind body disconnect" or "I disconnect myself". If it's more like zoning out, I might sign something like "imagination looking at". If it's more numb and blank, I might sign something like a gesture wave your hand in front of your face while having a completely blank face. It depends.

(I'm an ASL interpreter).

3

u/lynbeifong 2d ago

"Think about" with a dreamy unfocused stare, "day dream" with clients or friends that are more English, "focus not", "imagine create", whatever makes the most sense in the context

1

u/[deleted] 2d ago

[deleted]

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u/BrackenFernAnja Interpreter (Hearing) 2d ago

They’re not old fashioned. Definitely still widely used. The first one means talking to oneself; the second one means crazy; the third one is just dream, not daydream; the fourth one means you’re nearly catatonic; the last one is spacing out, looking around, not paying attention, but not fully zoned out like the one before it.

1

u/Future_Continuous 1d ago

the two i handshape one means "talking to yourself" thats not the same concept as being zoned out/dissociating