Hello! Many of you have commented, emailed, and asked about...
Really, how you should copy me.
So, you watch my videos and you want to know: How *I* sign... how should YOU sign?
Do you mirror it? Is it the opposite? Which one?
So, I am right-handed. I'm a righty -- meaning I sign with my right hand.
So that's this side; that's my right.
So that means if you are a righty, too, then you sign with your right hand!
That one -- that hand over there. My right hand, your right hand.
If you're left-handed, use your left hand!
So that means that, if in my videos, you're watching me,
and you're trying to learn to sign, you *can* mirror me.
For example: The sign LEARN.
I sign LEARN with my right hand doing the movement.
My left hand stays there.
So that's my left hand, and my right hand pulls up that information.
So if you're right-handed, use your right hand, as well.
Your left hand is down, and your right hand moves.
If you're a lefty, then do the opposite of that:
Your right hand is down, and your left hand moves.
Now, there are different general rules that you can follow for signing with the hands.
There are situations three:
First, the sign itself has one hand, and that's it.
That's easy; just use your dominant hand.
So your dominant hand. Again, I'm a righty, so I sign with my right hand.
For example: One-handed signs...
HAPPY: I use my right hand.
If you're a lefty, use your left hand: HAPPY.
HUNGRY. HUNGRY.
BORED, or BORING
SEARCH. SEARCH, or LOOK-FOR.
LIKE. LIKE.
See?
Second, there are signs that use both hands similarly.
So that's easy, as well; You use both hands,
and use them at the same time, in the same movement.
For example, the sign HAPPY can be two-handed.
HAPPY, HAPPY
SAD, SAD
TIRED, TIRED
MEETING
MEETING or a MEETING.
CLASS, CLASS
WANT, WANT
So if both hands are moving in the same way, that's fine and easy.
Use both hands together.
Third... Actually, let's go back to the second.
There are also some signs that use both hands in the same way, but in the
opposite movement. For example, the sign MOVEMENT.
MOVEMENT. It's not in and out together,
that's more like TEACH, it's a different example.
MOVEMENT.
THEATER
SIGN -- see how the hands move oppositely?
And that also tends to be easy; both hands are moving,
just with the opposite simultaneous movement.
In the third situation, the sign uses two hands,
but the movement is different, or maybe the hand shape is different.
For example, that! The sign EXAMPLE.
Different handshapes: EXAMPLE.
So we have a one handshape on my right hand, and my left: EXAMPLE.
HELP. HELP.
See how the left hand is my non-dominant hand,
and that tends to be the supporting hand.
HELP.
SHOW.
EXAMPLE.
PICTURE.
My left hand stays, and my right hand moves: PICTURE.
FILM.
FILM, or FILM outward. FILM, FILM
My left hand stays; my right hand is the movement
that shows where I'm filming. Filming you, film me, film someone else.
DOOR. DOOR - my left hand stays, and my dominant hand moves.
SCHOOL.
My dominant hand is on top. SCHOOL.
LEARN. The sign LEARN.
My left hand stays, and my dominant hand moves.
LEARN.
Similarly, STUDY.
My non-dominant hand stays, and my dominant hand moves. STUDY.
Some signs use either one or two hands, but the dominant hand tends to be higher up,
and the weak hand -- the non-dominant hand is lower. For example: THANK-YOU.
The sign THANK-YOU can be one-handed -- that's fine.
It can be two-handed: THANK-YOU.
If they're both high, that's fine, but in normal conversational signing,
it's more like this: THANK-YOU.
Okay, so again: Your dominant hand should be used if it's one-handed sign,
That's fine; use your dominant hand. for a sign that
uses both hands similarly use both hands
For signs that use two hands in different ways, your dominant hand does the movement
and your non-dominant hand is the supporting player.
Okay? I hope that that helps clarify what you do,
and which hands you should sign with.
Did you know that this question -- plus nine more
beginner questions, I answer on my website. It has all the answers for free.
ASLMeredith.com/FAQ -- so take a look and I'll see you soon. Bye!