Parameters of ASL

Parameters are: Palm Orientation Hand shape Location Movement Non manual markers

Palm Orientation Direction of your palm

Handshape There are over 45 different hand shapes in ASL A - aunt, sweetheart open A -girl, which, remember, tomorrow B – son, blue, brown, door C – cousin, class, wife, husband, chocolate E – elevator F – France, cat, family, tea open F – meat, steak

Handshapes G- green, mustache H- fun, hard of hearing, horse, name , train I – if, art, draw K –people, two of us, purple L – later, library, live Bent L – moon, run, camera, big

Handshapes M – math N – nurse, niece, nephew, 0- none, office Flat 0 – home, eat, boy, buy, store R – restroom rules, ready

Handshapes S- yes, motorcycle, car, bike, coffee, make T – team, toilet U- cute, uncle, university V – stuck, see, stand Bent V – stairs, ride- in, travel W – weird, world, water X - hearing aid, apple, friend, key Closed X – write, celebrate Y- silly, same, cow, New York, phone

Handshapes 1 go-to, where, black, deaf, boring, 3 – vehicle, awkward Bent 3 – bug 4- line of people, talk, meeting 5- mom, dad, man, woman, fine, candle, what Bent closed 5 – know, near, how, have, excuse me Claw 5 – machine, want 8- light bulb, melon 25 – what’s up, feel, sick,

Location Where on the body each sign starts/ ends

Movement The direction the sign moves Away from the body, towards the body Does it repeat

Minimal pairs pairs of signs which differ in only one element Mother/ Father (location) Good/ thank you (movement) Think/ know (handshape) Nice/ week (handshape) Home/yesterday (handshape) Happy/ enjoy (movement)

Minimal Pairs Please/sorry (handshape) Red/ sweet School/ paper (slight location) Sometimes/ once (movement) Restaurant/ cafeteria/ napkin ( handshape) Good/ bad Grandmother/ grandfather Dry/ugly, summer Apple/ onion