Smith Journal — January 2018

099 SMITH JOURNAL

The Bon Appetit

Stephanie Linder, Auslan interpreter

Stephanie Linder came to English a little later than most Australians. “All my family members are deaf, so Auslan – the sign
language of the Australian deaf community – is my first language.” Growing up, Linder found it useful when people who
weren’t deaf incorporated gestures into their conversations. She says some cultures are better at this than others. “The Italians
use a number of clear gestures that transcend the language barrier. If only we could see more of that here in Australia, it would
be to everyone’s benefit.” For wider adoption, Linder nominates the Bon Appetit – a sign that originally comes from the deaf
community in Europe. “When food arrives, you knock three times so everyone can see and feel the vibrations on the table. It’s
ideal in noisy environments, and beneficial for kinetic and tactile types.” It’s up to the knocker to tweak how they deliver the
gesture. “You have to adjust the strength depending on the material of the table,” Linder says. “Wood transmits vibration a
lot better than a marble top.” Just like English, there’s no need to yell. •