Hi, today i'm showing a few examples of fingerspelling becoming a word,
and that is called "lexicalized fingerspelling".
That word "lexical" / "lexicalized", that means that something became a word,
that is a specific, unique sign; it is no longer fingerspelling.
It's a word, a sign itself.
A few examples, you'll see the difference between fingerspelling and lexicalized fingerspelling.
BACK, BACK-TO somewhere
"B" into a "K", or b-a-c-k condensed.
Or: "back here" - you can change the direction!
Or you go "back there".
"Oh, the store? You need to go back."
"I want to go back home."
"Back to school"
Or if the teacher is here at school, "welcome back". -- back here.
BACK, BACK
BANK
BA-N-K, the sign is the "B" down into an "N", and up for a "K".
B-N-K, with the "N" downward.
BANK
BURN
The "B-U-R-N" starts upside down like this with a "B",
and then up to a U -- which you may or may not see.
The "R" and "N".
So the end is an "N" handshape.
BURN
BUS
Tends to be fingerspelled - BUS, and sometimes there's a circular movement.
BUS
BUS.
BUS or BUS
FUN can be signed like this - FUN
FUN
Or: #FUN.
F-U-N.
FUN
It's not like you're pressing forward and fingerspelling - it's a fluid movement. FUN.
So FUN or FUN
GYM
It can also be signed GYM.
GYM
IF
The "I" into an "F" - IF
Now the palm is inward: IF, or IF - where the fingers move like this. IF
IF...
Or IF. The sign IF or SUPPOSE.
JOB
Notice the palm is facing in.
So it's J-O-B, but the sign is the "J" directly into a "B"
with the palm facing me, as the signer.
JOB
For example: "Last year, he started a new job."
JOB
Or: JOB - the sign WORK can mean JOB.
MILES
For example: "Yesterday, I went out running three miles."
3 MILES
NO
It can move. For example: "My mother said no to me."
"She said no to me", or me to her: NO.
NO.
Or NO to you.
NO
An "N" and then an "O" can become "no" as well.
NO
RARE
RARE - tends to be fingerspelled. RARE.
RARE
STYLE
The sign STYLE kind of loops around. STYLE.
STYLE
S-T-Y-L-E, STYLE
VEGETABLE
V-E-G...
the "E" kind of be removed; the "V" only bends a little into the "G".
VEGETABLE
WHAT
The other sign is #WHAT --
The "W" or open fingers go into the "T".
And the palms are more upward: WHAT?
Or WHAT, one-handed. Or two-handed.
WHAT
You might be surprised - WHAT?
What?
WHAT?
Or a third way is to sign WHAT like this, the index finger along the palm.
WHAT.
And that third way tends to be a little bit of an older sign.
But you'll still see it - WHAT.
WHAT, WHAT, and WHAT
YES
The fist moves up and down, like you're nodding your head.
YES
It can also be signed #YES - YES!
It's not Y-E-S; there's no "E". It goes from a "Y" into an "S".
YES!
YES
Again: YES or YES
Okay? That was a few examples of fingerspelling becoming a word!
I know for beginners it can be tough, but...
if you start slow and keep practicing, you will improve.
Now, a few example sentences.