Guess-tures

We know Abby and Gibbs are fluent in sign language. But the rest of us can only guess what they're "saying" to each other. We can be as clueless as DiNozzo.
This page is for any ASL-fluent fans to translate for everyone else. :-)

I'll try my best, but I study BSL not ASL so I apologize if the translation is a little hazy. --Special.Agent.Rie

As a certified ASL interpreter, I've added some clarifications of my own. I would like to point out, as a mark of my own pedantry, that I do not believe Gibbs actually signs ASL - he uses a form of pidgin sign that is closer to being SEE [Signing Exact English] than ASL. Yes, there is a difference - a big one. The jury is still out on Abby - the majority of her signing has either been short bursts or below the edge of the screen, so I can't make a judgment. ~Rainne

I am not certified in anything, seeing as how I'm still in school. However, I've practiced SEE on and off ever since I was four or five. I plan on taking ASL as my foreign language in high school. Until then, I will use what little knowledge I know to try and help. Keep in mind that anything I post here is debatable. Like I said, I'm more trained in SEE. ~janedoe_6247

Ok, guys. Thanks. Whatever you can do is a big help. --abbysciuto77

Thanks so much for translating for us. FYI: someone posted many of these scenes on a you-tube video, all the way through "Driven." Here's the link: NCIS - Signing

I have recently added some of the ASL that I saw written as signed not in English. Mark Harmon struggles with a problem many males have - lazy signing. He is however doing an admirable job as he came late to learning a whole new language even if just in parts! I have worked as a Deaf Ed teacher for 20 years. This does not mean I am right, just that I have seen a little and am putting that here :) - Bajele

You're not going to tell me about lunch, are you

Episode: 1.03 - Seadog

Characters: Abby, Gibbs, and Tony.

Scene: Abby's lab. Gibbs and Tony go down to see what evidence Abby has found. She sees them, and signs to Gibbs through the glass window from the ballistics room. Tony asks Gibbs what they are doing as Gibbs signs back to Abby; he tells him that they are 'communicating'. Tony then asks how Abby knows sign. Gibbs explains that her parents are/were deaf - but he won't tell Tony where he learned to sign. He translates for Tony - Abby is telling him that the round that killed the commander is the same one that killed the two drug dealers. Abby comes out of the room. Gibbs thanks her, saying 'Hey, thank you' in sign and aloud. Abby smiles, saying 'That was good, Gibbs, you've still got it'. She then signs again.

Translation: Abby's main part is translated by Gibbs; at the start she signs 'How are you?' and he replied. 'I'm good, and you?'. As she comes out of the room, she signs 'I have more'.

ASL Translation: Abby - Have match
Gibbs - Great You
Abby - AK gun kill
(DiNozzo questions how Abby can sign)
Gibbs - Parents Deaf
Abby - Kill 2 drug boy
Abby exits ballistics:
Gibbs - You thank
Abby - Have more
DiNozzo voices: Seadog?
Abby - Don't know
In elevator (yes, I know it is voiced but the signs are...) need/should know

Episode: 1.03 - Seadog

Characters: Tony and Gibbs. Earlier in the same episode, Abby was signing to Gibbs; giving a summary of the evidence she found. This is where her deaf parents were introduced as an explanation for her fluency in sign.

Scene: Tony and Gibbs in the elevator. Tony runs up to Gibbs and says 'You're not going to tell me about lunch, are you?' (referring to the reporter Gibbs took out for lunch to try and get information from her). Gibbs replies simply 'Nope'. Tony signs something to Gibbs; and then Gibbs replies 'You should wash your hands with soap for saying that'.

Translation: 'I see'. The most likely explanation for this is that either Tony had messed up the signing or Gibbs was trying to make him think he had said something offensive, winding him up. [I disagree with this interpretation; having watched this scene a few times, I don't actually see any intelligible signing in what Tony says. It actually looks to me like he says 'think' and then signs 'stupid' backwards. (The signed movement for the word 'see' is markedly different from Tony's movement.) I do agree that Gibbs was winding him up with what was said. ~Rainne]
I agree that Gibbs is yanking Tony's chain but all I saw were the signs "think" "two". I see it as Gibbs saying what the Deaf community comments on all the time - If you can't sign don't make up stuff. - Bajele.

My turn to weigh in. During the previous scene in the lab, Tony asks Gibbs how to sign 'I should have known', Gibbs signs it (you can see the ASL translation above). I think that later, Tony is trying to replicate what he saw Gibbs sign. So the conversation goes
Tony: "You're not going to tell me about lunch, are you?"
Gibbs: "Nope."
Tony: *attempts to sign 'I should have known'*
Gibbs: "You should wash your hands with soap for saying that."
- awanderingbard
In England the two fingers that Tony shows to Gibbs actually mean f*** you, nothing to do with ASL but could explain the response

Episode: 1.05 - The Curse

Characters: Tony, Abby, and Gibbs

Scene: Abby, Tony, and Gibbs are going over the evidence in the cargo and discussing the case. Tony makes a dumb comment about the case/the cargo pod. Abby signs something to Gibbs, who laughs and replies (signing and speaking aloud) 'Oh, you're just starting to figure that out now?' Abby laughs and Tony, irritated, says, "You know, it's not polite to talk with your hands."

Translation: 'Tony's weird'. (And since he was using hand gestures and sound effects as he spoke, Miss Sciuto had a point.)

Episode: 2.01 - See No Evil

Scene: In Abby's lab, as she is listening to the kidnapper through the microphone Gibbs planted. She is listening through headphones and is shouting; Gibbs taps her, saying 'Hey, hey, hey; Abby' to get her attention, and then signs to her. She replies, also in sign, as she removes her headphones. Tony, again out of the loop, says 'You know, considering nobody in this room is actually deaf that's kind of annoying?' Gibbs signs something, and Abby smiles. DiNozzo, annoyed, says 'Hey, that was about me, wasn't it?'

Characters: Abby, Gibbs and Tony; but primarily Abby and Gibbs. Poor Tony is oblivious to what they sign to each other. All together: aaawwwww. Pobre DiNozzo.

Translation: Gibbs signs 'No need to shout'. Abby replies with 'Sorry!' as she removes her headset. The second time Gibbs signs, after Tony says their speaking in sign is annoying, means 'Peabrain!'

Episode: 2.05 - The Bone Yard

Scene: Abby has just matched Ricky Napalitano's DNA to the sample they found. Tony and Kate have returned from the paternity clinic and are looking at the screen where Abby is showing them the DNA match from her computer. Gibbs walks over and signs to her - though non-ASL speakers may see it as just a tap/pat on the cheek, an equally affectionate gesture. The difference here is that he signs using her cheek rather than his, making the contact more close and intimate - a Gabby moment?

Characters: Abby, Gibbs, Kate, Tony.

Translation: 'My girl' (though it is signed on her cheek rather than his). [This MAY simply be a gesture of affection and not an actual instance of sign language. The jury is still out. - Rainne]
After watching it frame by frame I was able to see "Smart" "Girl". The signs were done in the appropriate place but that they were done on her face showed an intimacy equal to hearing people whispering in each others' ears. - Bajele

Episode: 2.22 - SWAK

Scene: Abby's lab, when Abby is relaying the evidence she has found to Gibbs. He is wearing a protective suit (they have already gone into quarantine because of the Y.pestis) and he says 'Good thinking, Abby'. Because of the suit, she cannot hear him; and he repeats multiple times before she tells him 'I don't know, Gibbs; I can't hear you'. Angry, he signs to her, and she replies.

Characters: Abby and Gibbs. Again.

Translation: Gibbs signs "Good thinking" but in Exact English rather than ASL. (This is significant, because the "-ing" ending as signed in Exact English matches a Northeastern U.S. ASL slang sign for male genitalia.) Abby, misunderstanding, signs 'Not nice, Gibbs (using a signed name, rather than spelling his name out.), not nice' as she says it.

Episode: 3.13 - Deception

Scene: Abby is playing the 911 call back to Gibbs. She says 'Do you hear it?' He replies, bemusedly 'Hear what?'. She says she thought his hearing was better than his eyesight, before adding '...how wrong was I?' she plays him the end of the tape again, allowing Gibbs to hear that the kidnapper grabbed the phone and left the victim in the trunk. He asks her if she is still in the trunk for a guess at how much time she has left. He interrupts her long speech about the different factors with an exasperated 'Abs!' She replies '12 hours tops, after that she'd slip into a coma and after 17 she'd definitely run out of oxygen'. He shakes his head, before signing something to her and leaving.

Characters: Abby and Gibbs.

Translation: 'I love you'. Awwww.

Episode: 4.11 - Driven

Scene: Abby and McGee are discussing the AI car. McGee refers to it as a car. Abby interrupts him, saying "First of all, its name is Otto. O-T-T-O." While spelling the name verbally, she also finger-spells the letters O-T-T-O.

Characters: Abby and McGee

Translation: The fingerspelled word O-T-T-O.

Episode: 4.07 - Sandblast

Scene: Abby is recapping the conversations on the audio-less video feed to Gibbs. Mann asks Abby how she could know what the people were saying without sound. Abby and Gibbs have a brief private exchange.
Characters: Abby, Gibbs, and Mann

Translation: Abby: (In response to Mann's question) "Lipread." Abby (to Gibbs): "She thinks she's smart." Gibbs: "Maybe she'll surprise you."
ASL Signs: Abby: Lipread
Abby: For hearing she smart
Gibbs: Maybe she surprise you

Episode: 3.05 - Switch

Scene: Abby is explaining to Gibbs what petty officer Smith was trying to communicate by writing in his own blood. She says, "What does 'M' mean?" and holds up the sign for M.
Characters: Abby and Gibbs

Translation: The letter "M"

Episode: 6.18 - Knockout

Scene: First Scene: Gibbs and Abby in her lab. "Just picture Mephistopheles sitting on his throne of fire playing with his collection of idle." She closes the door on Gibbs. She holds up her hands and mouths the word. Gibbs gets the idea .
Second Scene: Elevator opens. Abby walks to elevator and hands an envelop to Gibbs, who is still in the elevator.

Translation: First scene: Gibbs: "Full background check." Abby: "For you, anything." Gibbs: "I love you."
Second Scene: Gibbs: "Thank you." Abby: "Never happened."
ASL Signs: Gibbs: Full B-G check
Abby: For you anything
Gibbs: I-L-Y handshape

Episode: 3.17 - Ravenous

Scene: Abby is explaining what she has found relating to the evidence. She's upset with Gibbs because she thinks he has forgotten her birthday. In response to him saying, "Tell me something I don't know," she asks, "About the case, or perhaps something more personal?" Gibbs attempts to get her back on topic. He draws a circle near his right temple using his right index finger.

Characters: Abby and Gibbs

Translation: "Think."

Episode: 3.18 - Bait

Scene: Abby and McGee are watching Gibbs through the video feed into the school room. Gibbs makes a gesture, surreptitiously. Abby realizes he's signing. McGee asks what he's saying. Abby can't tell. Gibbs signs again. Abby figures out he means 'puppet' and asks Gibbs if that's right, over the computer feed. Gibbs says yes.
Characters: Abby, McGee, Gibbs

Translation: Gibbs: *first* "Puppet.", Gibbs: *second, finger-spelling* P-U-P-P-E-T, Gibbs: *signs 'yes' while nodding*
ASL Signs: Gibbs - (pulling the strings of an old fashioned puppet) Marionette then finger-spells puppet.

Episode: 3.07 - Honor Code

Scene: Gibbs comes to the lab looking for Abby, who walks out ballistics wearing noise-reducing earmuffs. She shouts, "What? No Zackster?" He replies (orally), "Abby, you're yelling," while signing something else. She apologizes and takes off the earmuffs.

Translation: Looks to me like he's doing half the sign for 'earplugs', trying to tell her to take them off.

Episode: 2.02 - Good Wives Club

Scene: Abby and Gibbs are in the ballistic room discussing about the wedding dress. Abby signs to Gibbs as if he's talking too much.

Translation: Abby: *shut up* a few times toward Gibbs's mouth.

-Behalf of D-PAN, we are pleased to provide the following translation - and salute NCIS for promoting ASL.

Episode: (Not sure posted by ASL4God on a thread asking someone to add this.)http://www.ncisfanwiki.com/thread/4748030/Can+someone+add+this%21

Scene :Abby is checking the radiation tags, when Gibbs walks into her lab. "Answer's Abs." "I Got 'em Gibbs, I took Lieutenant Sanders dosimeter apart and I discovered that it is hinky. I might even call it, hinky dory. Oh come on Gibbs its a little cute."

Translation:
Abby: (Signs)little
Gibbs: (closes her finger) to say no or none.

Episode:

Scene:

Translation:

ncis4eva	Latest page update: made by ncis4eva , Sep 27 2011, 4:55 AM EDT (about this update About This Update Edited by ncis4eva 74 words added 1 word deleted view changes - complete history)
	Keyword tags: Abby deaf Gibbs sign language More Info: links to this page

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ASL4God

Can someone add this!

Mar 6 2013, 9:03 PM EST by AbbyMyKindofPerson

Thread started: Sep 26 2011, 5:50 PM EDT Watch

Abby is checking the radiation tags, when Gibbs walks into her lab. "Answer's Abs." "I Got 'em Gibbs, I took Lieutenant Sanders dosimeter apart and I discovered that it is hinky. I might even call it, hinky dory. Oh come on Gibbs its a little cute."

Abby: Signs little
Gibbs: closes her finger to say no or none.

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May96

cool page

Sep 30 2011, 10:53 AM EDT by ScooterGibbs

Thread started: Dec 23 2007, 11:29 AM EST Watch

This page really helps me understand the signing in context with the scene, so i feel like i haven't missed anything! Cheers!

Im really curious as to how Gibbs learnt how to sign? and if anyone else can do it e.g Ducky, Jenny etc

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ASL4God

From last message

Sep 27 2011, 7:15 PM EDT by ASL4God

Thread started: Sep 27 2011, 7:15 PM EDT Watch

It's from "Dead man walking" season 4 episode 16 ... sorry i forgot to mention that!

4.14 Blowback	4.13 Sharif Returns	4.10 Smoked
4.02 Escaped	What do you want for S11?	gibbs found on LJ
7.16 Mother's Day	7.16 Mother's Day	ncis by 38gnihsurc on LJ
NCIS RPG video game?	Dancing Abby - NCIS - Deliverance	gibbs found on LJ

Guess-tures

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