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What will actually become of Olaf Scholz?
So, in sign language.
There is still no consensus as to what the Chancellor's sign name should actually be.
Running: With this gesture, the sparse fringe of hair is traced.
Same with this one.
But is that fitting for a chancellor?
As an alternative, this sober variant applies to the letters O and SCH in a row.
Names are not always an easy decision:
Wille Felix Zante, German Association of the Deaf:
»There are names that already have a meaning.
With Volker Wissing, the word 'knowledge' is included in the name, and then you just take that. Similarly, Bettina Stark-Watzinger has 'strength' or Hubertus Heil means 'healing'.«
Many of the still unknown members of Scholz's cabinet have had their names christened.
Here are some examples presented by the Taubenschlag web site for the deaf:
Federal Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach is still traced with his bow tie – although he hasn't worn it for a long time.
Robert Habeck signs with a wrinkled forehead.
When it comes to the new Minister of Finance, you have to know that he has a preference for fast cars from a certain brand: Christian Lindner's name is simply ›Porsche‹.
How did these names come about?
Wille Felix Zante,
German Association of the Deaf
:
»There is no vote or election in the classic sense, and no statistics are recorded.
A suggestion for a new name sign is made, another person adopts it and so it spreads.«
If a new name is sought for a woman, a woman should be included in the search group if possible, so that the gesture is not influenced by discriminatory characteristics.
The process of finding Annalena Baerbock was complex:
Wille Felix Zante,
German Association of the Deaf
:
»Simply combining the signs for bear and goat seemed boring.
After a long discussion, this idea came up in the community: a jumping movement on the ear.
The background: Baerbock has always liked to wear striking earrings.
And in the past she was a trampoline jumper – you combined that.«
There are also difficult cases in the ranks of the opposition.
For example, the new CDU chairman Friedrich Merz.
He shares the gesture for a long nose with Russian President Vladimir Putin of all people.
The alternative for the CDU boss: the month of March or his pointy head of hair.
Long nose, sparse fringe of hair - all characteristics that may not always come across as politically correct.
But a name can also change over time:
Wille Felix Zante,
German Association of the Deaf
:
»Angela Merkel used to be signed with the corners of her mouth hanging down.
But that was seen as disrespectful.
So another solution had to be found: At first, you looked at her hairstyle, but then ›remember‹ prevailed.«
The current chancellor, Olaf Scholz, is known to be reluctant to commit himself too quickly to something – just don't make any mistakes, that's his motto.
So it's fitting that we might have to wait a little longer for a clear sign name for him.