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 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 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.
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
