The core parameters that make up an ASL sign, handshape, location, movement, and palm orientation, plus non-manual markers, ASL's equivalent of pronunciation. Front: the parameter or concept. Back: an explanation with an example.
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- Handshape
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The specific shape the hand makes during a sign, such as a fist, flat hand, or 5 hand; changing only the handshape can create a completely different sign.- Location
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Where a sign is made in relation to the body, such as the forehead, chest, or neutral space in front of the body; the same handshape and movement at a different location can mean something else entirely.- Movement
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The path or motion the hand takes while signing, straight, circular, or back-and-forth; movement is one of the core building blocks that distinguishes one sign from another.- Palm orientation
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The direction the palm faces during a sign, up, down, facing the signer, or facing away; orientation alone can change a sign's meaning, similar to MY versus YOUR.- Non-manual markers
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Facial expressions, head tilts, and body shifts that carry grammatical meaning in ASL, functioning the way tone of voice and stress do in spoken languages.- Minimal pairs (handshape)
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Two signs that differ only in handshape, like APPLE and ONION, which use different fists at the same cheek location; noticing this small difference is a key ASL watching skill.- Minimal pairs (location)
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Two signs that differ only in where they are made on or near the body, such as signs made at the forehead versus the chin, which can carry very different meanings.- Minimal pairs (movement)
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Two otherwise identical signs distinguished only by their movement pattern, such as a short tap versus a repeated double tap.- Fingerspelling rhythm
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Fluent fingerspelling keeps a steady, even rhythm and slight pauses between words rather than speeding up or slowing down letter by letter.- Signing space
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The three-dimensional area roughly from the top of the head to the waist and shoulder-width across, within which most signs are naturally produced.- Dominant hand
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The hand a signer primarily uses to perform one-handed signs and lead two-handed signs, typically their writing hand.- Weak hand (non-dominant)
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The supporting hand used in two-handed signs, often holding a steady base handshape while the dominant hand moves.- Symmetrical two-handed signs
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Signs where both hands share the same handshape and move in a mirrored or synchronized way, such as signs for many family or feeling words.- Asymmetrical two-handed signs
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Signs where the two hands have different handshapes or roles, with the weak hand often acting as a stationary base for the dominant hand's movement.- Repetition for aspect
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Repeating a sign's movement can indicate that an action is ongoing, habitual, or repeated, functioning similarly to verb tense markers in spoken languages.
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