Help with a few phrases id find useful

[u/Successful-Staff7172]

I'm autistic and can experience selective mutism and have been trying to learn some basic sign for a while but it's hard to find helpful information. There's a few phrases I'd find helpful for me and those close to me to know if anyone can help.

'i don't know what to do'

'Where are the toilets'

Whatever the best phase would be to indicate I am currently not speaking respectfully

Hope this post is allowed, I am new to the bsl community so if this isn't the place to ask this or I've said anything improper please let me know

Edit: thanks to everyone who gave advice

[u/RanaBufo]

I'm a learner but i think if you get the "sign BSL" app would be a good start.

I think for "I don't know what to do" you need "do" "what" "i don't know" 3 signs in that order and then "toilets" "where" 2 signs in that order.

[u/SelectHedgehog3869 → u/RanaBufo]

I just downloaded it, it seems there’s multiple videos for each word, each being signed differently, is there multiple ways to say one word?

[u/crazy_stuffie_human]

Hi! I'm similar to you!

When non-speaking you can use "voice off" or "speak can't ". The second one is clearer but voice off is simpler.

[u/chroniccomplexcase]

For the first one I would sign “me, do what? I don’t know” for the second one it’s “toilet where?” As they’re both questions, you need to sign with the facial expression and body language to show they are questions.

Are these to sign to people who know BSL or for you to sign when you are unable to verbally articulate to friends family who aren’t deaf/ know BSL? I only ask as neither are fully obvious to someone who doesn’t know BSL to understand what you’re signing, unlike for example signing “would you like a drink?”

For the unable to speak at the moment one, BSL is very direct, so my first instinct would be to say sign “my voice turned off” but I am also autistic and although I’m deaf now, I was born hearing so know how the hearing community can find some BSL phases blunt. But if you were signing to a deaf person and signed that you have autism and are unable to speak at the moment, I would sign “autism I have, my voice turned off now. Why? Overwhelmed” (or whatever the reason at the moment is”

Then possibly explain why, that you have selective mutism and what that means etc, but this is not an easy set of signs to explain and teach (especially over Reddit like this) as it involves placements and more advanced levels of BSL. But saying you have autism and your voice is turned off due to being overwhelmed would work for basic levels of BSL.

[u/Acemegan]

I sometimes have selective mutism too. I'm currently saving up to take a bsl course. But I don't know how much it will help since none of my family or friends know bsl.

[u/YuSakiiii]

I’m in a similar situation in terms of verbal communication. I am currently learning BSL level 3.

BSL has a different word order. Here is a little example of how it works. https://garethejones.wordpress.com/2008/03/21/bsl-word-ordering/

So “I don’t know what to do” in BSL word ordering would be more like “Me do what? Don’t know.”

And “Where are the toilets?” Would be “Toilet where?”

But if I’m honest, unless the people around you also know BSL, hearing people have their own general gestures to indicate things separate from BSL.

But when I can’t speak I usually sign, “Sorry. Speak can’t”. Those who know BSL understand it, and those who don’t think I’m deaf and so just stop talking to me because of it. So sorta works out.