To sign coke (as in the Coca-Cola beverage), start by holding your non-dominant arm slightly across your body in a relaxed position. Form a '1' handshape with your dominant hand by extending just your index finger, keeping the rest of your fingers curled into a fist. Bring your dominant hand to your non-dominant upper arm and poke the tip of your index finger into your bicep. This motion is usually done with a quick, deliberate jab or a light double tap.
To sign this, point to yourself to sign I, then sign WANT by pulling both open hands toward you while curling the fingers. Next, sign COKE by poking your non-dominant bicep with your dominant index finger, and finish the sentence with PLEASE by rubbing your chest in a circular motion.
Start by signing PEPSI, then shift your shoulders slightly to one side to set up the 'or' concept. Next, sign COKE by tapping your bicep with your index finger, and finally sign PREFER while furrowing your eyebrows to clearly show you are asking a question.
Sign MY by placing a flat palm on your chest, then sign FAVORITE by tapping your middle finger on your chin. Sign SODA by popping your dominant middle finger into your non-dominant 'O' handshape, and conclude by signing COKE with a quick jab to your bicep.
To sign this, point to yourself to sign I, then sign WANT by pulling both open hands toward you while curling the fingers. Next, sign COKE by poking your non-dominant bicep with your dominant index finger, and finish the sentence with PLEASE by rubbing your chest in a circular motion.
Start by signing PEPSI, then shift your shoulders slightly to one side to set up the 'or' concept. Next, sign COKE by tapping your bicep with your index finger, and finally sign PREFER while furrowing your eyebrows to clearly show you are asking a question.
Sign MY by placing a flat palm on your chest, then sign FAVORITE by tapping your middle finger on your chin. Sign SODA by popping your dominant middle finger into your non-dominant 'O' handshape, and conclude by signing COKE with a quick jab to your bicep.
Both are perfectly acceptable and widely understood! Fingerspelling C-O-K-E is extremely common among adult native signers today and is a safe, quick option. However, the bicep-poke sign is a beloved legacy sign that you will frequently encounter, so it is important to recognize and understand it.
No, it does not. While the 'shot' motion might make you think of illicit substances, this specific bicep-poke sign refers exclusively to the Coca-Cola soda. The ASL sign for the drug cocaine is completely different and typically involves a motion near the nose.
It is a fascinating piece of Deaf culture! Stories passed down in the community suggest that doctors used to give children a bottle of Coke as a treat after administering a shot. Thus, the motion of getting a shot became playfully linked to the soda itself.
