Bug in My Soup!
by Janna Sweenie and David Boles

This "Bug in My Soup!" page was part of the pitch for our Hand Jive book. You can see an early video, teaching, and layout ideas!
Step-by-Step Sentence Breakdown into HardcoreASL:

(Note: All sentences begin in Neutral Position where the face is expressionless and the body is at ease with arms relaxed hanging loosely.)

STEP ONE: bowl

In the first part of the sentence you need to place the bowl of soup in time and space. Using a swooping motion like you are smoothing the sides of a clay pot on a potters wheel define the sides and size of the soup bowl.

STEP TWO: soup1

Now you get to eat the soup! Make your fingers into the "H" position from the Hardcore ASL Fingerspelling section you learned previously in the book and bend the "H" a bit so it looks like a spoon and dip that spoon into the soup. Watch out, it's hot!

STEP THREE: soup2

Okay, now to complete the sign for soup you have to pretend to eat the soup. So take your bended "H" spoon from the soup bowl and bring it up to your hungry lips. Repeat two or three times to get the idea of the action of the motion gets the idea across.

STEP FOUR: bug

Ew! You found a bug in your soup! Bring your "H" soup spoon hand up under your right eye and separate the fingers a bit and bend them a few times like you're pulling the trigger on a gun. Your flexing fingers are suggesting the movement of the insect. Gross! Let's move on before we all hurl over the page!

STEP FIVE: there

Okay, now you've had it. You point to the precise location of where that ugly bug is in your soup! Location is important. You told us about the bug now you are showing us exactly where to find it in your soup.

STEP SIX: disgust

Now you get to use your Magic Tongue! (See the Sidebar below) Stick that tongue out a bit -- but not too far -- you aren't French Kissing your bug or the waiter -- and make the universal sign for being nauseous and ready to barf up your guts! Okay, you're a little too good at that, let's finish up the sentence...

STEP SEVEN: bowl-here

Now you get to use your Magic Tongue! (See the Sidebar below) Stick that tongue out a bit -- but not too far -- you aren't French Kissing your bug or the waiter -- and make the universal sign for being nauseous and ready to barf up your guts! Okay, you're a little too good at that, let's finish up the sentence...

STEP EIGHT: back-to-you

But instead of returning it nicely to the kitchen you throw the soup back in the face of your waiter because every time you come to this rotten restaurant he puts a bug in your soup! Now the bug up his ass is stuck on his nose! Congratulations! You're now ready for a night out on the town of elegant dining.

Sidebar: Wag that Tongue!

We know these tongues are pretty gross -- or really erotic depending on your sensual preferences (hee-ha!) -- but these fabulous tongues do not belong to us. But their dexterity needs to become yours because the lesson of the tongue is this: You use it a lot in HardcoreASL! You will use your tongue to show negativity like "not yet" or "didn't do it" and emotions like "disgust" and "strong dislike" and "never seen before" and even actions like "throw up" and "taste" and "take a pill." Don't worry about memorizing all that now. We'll remind you how to use your tongue in HardcoreASL we'll just need you to have it ready to twist, dart and dash from between your beautiful lips.

Copyright by David Boles. All rights reserved.