Sign Families
All in the family
Movement Description – the designated handshapes in front of the chest, twist at the wrists and move apart in an outward circular movement, and come together again, pinky side by pinky side.
A Hands for agency, association
C Hands for bracket, bunch, category, class, mass, section, series
D Hands for department, division
F Hands for family, fraternity
G Hands for group
H Hands for huddle
L Hands for league
O Hands for organization
R Hands for relative
S Hands for set (computer), society, sorority
T Hands for team
W Hands to S Hands for workshop
4 Hands for circle/circular formation (as in to be/sit/stand in a circle)
Allow me
Movement description: the designated handshapes, at each side, move forward and upward in an arc.
A Hands for attempt
E Hands for effort
L Hands for let
O Hands to P Hand for opportune, opportunity
P Hands for permit, permission, privilege
S Hands for strive
T Hands for try
Open Hands for allow, grant
Area
Movement description: the designated handshapes held in front of the body and touching each other, move backward in a circular movement, touching again.
A Hands for area (space)
D Hands for district
I Hands for island
L Hands for local, location
P Hands for place, position
R Hands for region, regional
S Hands for space (alternate sign for space)
Slight variation: forward, not backward movement
F Hands for field
Body
Movement description: the designated handshapes, at each side of the chest, move downward to touch the side of the waist.
A Hands for anatomy
H Hands for health, human, hygiene
P Hands for physical
V Hands for victim
Open Hands for body
Change It
Movement Description – the designated handshapes, one on top of the other, reverse positions. Slight variations noted.
A Hands for adapt, adjust, adjustment, alter, shift, switch, turn
E Hands for encode, evolution
F Hands for interpret, interpreting
R Hands for repent, repentance, reverse
T Hands for transformation, translate, translation
X Hands for change
Open Hands for become, turn into
Slight variation – reverse and return to the starting position
C Hands for convert (as in one’s faith)
Slight variation – double movement twist
D Hands for decode
M Hands for modification, modify
Slight variation – repeated twisting movements
R Hands for renovate, renovation, remodel, restore
Circle the heart
Movement Description – the designated handshape makes a small circle in front of the heart and then touches the chest. Slight variation noted.
A Hand for attitude
C Hand for character, characteristic
M Hand for moral
N Hand for noble
P Hand for personality
Q Hand for qualification, qualify
R Hand for role
Slight variation – double circle only
M Hand for missionary
N Hand for nature
P Hand for personal
Slight variation – twists and touches
R Hand for reputation
Communication
Movement description: the designated handshapes, move back and forth from the mouth in an alternating movement.
C Hands for communicate, communication, conversation, converse
D Hands for dialogue
I Hands for interview
N Hands for negotiate, negotiation
R Hands for reference
S and C Hands for simultaneous communication
T and C Hands for total communication
Index Finger Hands for talk, mediate, mediation
Down to basics
Movement description: the designated handshape moves in a circular fashion under the nondominant Open Hand. Slight variations noted.
B Hand for base, basic, basis
F Hand for fundamental
I Hand for inferior
Index Finger Hand for isolated
10 Hand for basement, beneath, cellar
Slight variation: the designated handshape shakes back and forth under the nondominant Open Hand
E Hand for elementary
K Hand for kindergarten
Slight variation: the designated handshape glides forward under the nondominant Open Hand
3 Hand for submarine
Slight variation: the designated handshape slides back and forth under the nondominant Open Hand
Y Hand for subway
Draw a seven
Movement description: the designated handshape traces the number seven in the air. Slight variation noted.
B Hand for Boston
C Hand for Chicago
D Hand for Detroit
P Hand for Philadelphia
S Hand for semester
X Hand for Texas
Slight variation – trace the percent sign
O Hand for percent (percentage)
End result
Movement description: the designated handshape slides across the index finger side of the nondominant B hand and then downward in front of its fingertips.
C Hand for conclude, conclusion
R Hand for result
T Hand for terminal, terminate
Open Hand for end
Slight variation: nondominant hand is the B hand
A Hand to the Open Hand for abend (computer terminology)
Environment
Movement description: the designated handshape moves in a small semicircle around the nondominant Index Finger Hand.
A Hand for atmosphere
C Hand for circumstance, circumstantial, condition, cultural, culture
E Hand for environment, environmental
O Hand for orientation
S Hand for situation, surround
Freedom
Movement description: the designated handshapes cross in front of the body and then swing apart.
D Hands for deliver, deliverance
F Hands for free, freedom
I Hands for independent
L Hands for liberal, liberty
R Hands for redeem, rescue
S Hands for safe, salvation, save, secure, security
Generation after generation
Movement description: the designated handshapes in front of the shoulder move forward by rolling over each other in an alternating movement. Slight variation noted.
C Hands for civilization
G Hands for generation
H Hands for heritage, heredity
T Hands for tradition, traditional
Flattened O Hands for hand down, hand-me-down, inheritance, pass down
Slight variation – reverse movement
L Hand for legend, legendary
Open Hand for ancestors
Government
Movement Description – the designated handshape, held near the side of the head, twists at the wrist and touches the side of the head.
F Hand for federal
G Hand for government
M Hand for mayor
P Hand for political, politics
Hospital
Movement description: the designated handshape traces a cross on the nondominant upper arm.
A Hand for ambulance
C Hand for clinic
H Hand for hospital
I Hand for infirmary
P Hand for patient
Slight variation in tracing the cross
C Hand for client (medical)
It’s a wonder
Movement description: the designated handshape moves in a circular movement by the side of the forehead. Slight variation noted.
C Hand for conscious
L Hand for logic
M Hand for meditate, meditation
R Hand for rational, rationale, realization, realize, reason
T Hand for theory
Index Finger Hand for consider, contemplate, ponder, thinking, thinking about, wonder
Slight variation: instead of a circular movement, a short downward double movement
P Hand for philosophy
Law
Movement description: the designated handshape touches the fingertips of the nondominant Open Hand, and then moves downward touching the heel of the Open Hand.
A Hand for agenda
A Hand to an M Hand for algorithm
B Hand for byte
B Hand to a G Hand for background
C Hand for Commandment, Constitution
C Hand to an E Hand for Code of Ethics
F Hand for formula
L Hand for law, legal
P Hand for policy, principle
R Hand for regulation, rule
S Hand for state
T Hand for Testament
W Hand for will (as in God’s will)
Make a small circle
Movement Description: the designated handshape is used to form a small circle in front of the shoulder.
C Hand for century
F Hand for Friday
H Hand for Thursday
L Hand for library
M Hand for Monday
S Hand for Saturday
T Hand for Tuesday
U Hand for use, utilize
W Hand for Wednesday
Slight variation – both hands
Open Hands for Sunday
Mathematics
Movement description: the designated handshapes cross near the wrists with a double movement.
A Hands for algebra, algebraic
C Hands for calculus
G Hands for geometry
M Hands for math, mathematics
S Hands for statistics
T Hands for trigonometry
V Hands for arithmetic, estimate, figure, figure out, multiplication
Members
Movement description: the designated handshape touches the left side of the chest and then touches the right side of the chest.
A Hand for Atlanta
B Hand for board
C Hand for citizen, Congress
C Hand to L Hand for council
F Hand for faculty
L Hand for legislature
M Hand for member
S Hand for Senate
S Hand to F Hand for staff
T Hand for trustee
Curved 5 Hand for committee
Money in the hand
Movement description: the designated handshape touches lightly in a double movement the palm of the nondominant Open Hand.
E Hand for economic, economical, economy
F Hand for finances, financial, funds
S Hand for scholarship
Flattened O Hand for money
Music
Movement description: the designated handshape (dominant hand), moves in a swinging fashion along the forearm of the nondominant hand.
C Hand for choir
O Hand for orchestra
P Hand for poem, poetry, Psalms
S Hand for symphony
Open Hand for chant, melody, music, sing, song
Nice and clean
Movement description: the designated handshape slides, from heel to fingertips, across the palm of the nondominant Open Hand. Slight variation noted.
D Hand for divine
H Hand for honest, honesty, frank, frankly
P Hand for pure, purification, purify
O Hand for orthodox
S Hand for saint
Modified C Hand for layer, plush
Open Hand for clean, nice
Slight variation: double movement
Open Hand for clean up
Open Hand fingertips for excuse, forgive, forgiveness, pardon
Practice, practice, practice
Movement description: the designated handshape moves back and forth on the nondominant Index Finger Hand. Slight variation noted.
A Hand for exercise, practice, training
D Hand for discipline, drill
I Hand for internship
R Hand for rehearse
Open Hand for friction
Slight variation – nondominant hand is the Open Hand
F Hand for function
Rock the church is built on
Movement description: the designated handshape taps the back of the nondominant S Hand.
A Hand for rock, stone
C Hand for chapel, church
M Hand for ministry, mission
P Hand for parish
S Hand for synagogue
T Hand for temple, tabernacle, tomb
Royal sash
Movement description: the designated handshape touches the left side of the chest and then touches the right side of the waist.
A Hand for ambassador
C Hand for Christ
D Hand for deacon
E Hand for emperor
K Hand for king
L Hand for Lord
P Hand for prince
R Hand for royal
Q Hand for queen
Y Hand for Yugoslavia
Sentence
Movement description: the designated handshapes, held in front of the body, move apart to each side of the body in a wavy fashion. Slight variations noted below.
F Hand for message, phrase, sentence
G Hand for grammar
L Hand for language
Slight variation – straight double movement apart
F Hands for caption
Slight variation – straight movement apart
L Hand to an S Hand for linguistics
Shake it
Movement description: the designated handshape, held in front of the shoulder, shakes back and forth in place. Slight variations noted.
A Hand for arthritis
C Hand for conservative
D Hand for democracy, democrat, democratic
E Hand for emergency
F Hand for furniture
I Hand for infection, insurance, insure
M Hand for meter
N Hand for neutral
R Hand for republic, republican
T Hand for bathroom, lavatory, toilet, restroom, washroom
V Hand for vanilla, vitamin
Index Finger Hand for where
Slight variation – slower movement
E Hand for Easter
Slight variation – both hands
W Hands for weather
Showing the shape
Movement description: the designated handshapes touching each other in front of the body, move apart to the side of the body and then downward.
A Hands for altar
C Hands for chart
F Hands for form, format
M Hands for museum
R Hands for resume
S Hands for system
T Hands for terminal (as in computer terminal)
Show just how big
Movement description: the designated handshapes, held in front of the body, move apart to each side.
B Hands for big
G Hands for great
L Hands for large, massive
Slight variation – touch and move apart
V Hands for very
Curved 5 Hands for a lot, lot, immense, much
Show me
Movement description: with the designated handshape, touching the palm of the nondominant Open Hand, move both hands forward.
D Hand for demonstrate, demonstration, display
E Hand for example, exhibit
I Hand for image, indicate, indication
M Hand for model, modeling
P Hand for portfolio
R Hand for represent
S Hand for sample, sign, symbol, symptom
Index Finger Hand for expose, portray, reveal, show
Show the strength
Movement description: the designated handshape touches the nondominant upper arm and then moves downward and over in a small arc, touching the arm again.
A Hand for authority
B Hand for brawny, power
E Hand for energetic, energy
I Hand for intensity
M Hand for muscle
S Hand for solid, strength, strong
Teach me
Movement description: the designated handshapes held in front of each side of the head move forward in a double movement. Slight variations noted.
T Hands for tutor
Flattened O Hands for indoctrinate, indoctrination, teach
Slight variation: movement is shoulder height
D Hands for doctrine
I Hands for instruct
Slight variation: singular movement
E Hands to D Hands for education, educate
This is the way
Movement description: the designated handshapes, held on each side of the body, move forward.
D Hand for dynamic (computer terminology)
R Hand for road
S Hand for street
T Hand for technique
W Hand for way
Open Hands for path, route
Twist and shake
Movement Description – the designated handshape, held up to the side of your body, twists back and forth. Slight variation noted.
B Hand for blue
C Hand for clue
E Hand for Easter (alternate sign)
G Hand for green
P Hand for purple
Y Hand for yellow
Slight variation: both hands
P Hands for party
T Hands for toy
Y Hands for play, romp
Useful things
Movement description: the designated handshape held in front of the body moves in a double arc to the side of the body. Slight variation noted.
E Hand for equipment
M Hand for material (media)
R Hand for resource
Open Hand for thing
Slight variation: single arc movement
P Hand for property
Year after year
Movement description: the designated handshapes, dominant hand slightly above the nondominant hand, move in a forward circular fashion around each other, ending with the dominant hand resting on top of the nondominant hand.
A Hands for alumnus
G Hands for global, globe
I Hands for international
S Hands for year
U Hands for universe (universal)
W Hands for world
