Indigenous signs: Arab World

Indigenous signs for countries in the Arab World (الدول العربية)

national flags David Bar-Tzur

map of the Middle East

Flags: World flag database.
Map: Maps.com - "search" for country, then "Digital Map Graphics").

For a quick, interesting resource for facts about this and other countries,
try Mystic Planet - The New Age directory of Planet Earth.

Explanation of glossing system used
(to understand how I describe the signs in this dictionary)

Algeria (الجزائر): (2h)[Y], POs > signer, FOs ><, hands twist slightly, like the ASL sign PLAY. For a video of this sign, go to Algeria (الجزائر).
Bahrain (مملكة البحرين): [As], taps ulnar [pinky] side of hand against the DS hip. For a film of this sign, click on Bahrain (مملكة البحرين).
Cyprus (Κύπρος): (2h)[L], POs away, FOs up, DH aligns thumb and index finger with bottom and top of NDH index finger. DH > DS while closing to [bO]. To see a video of this sign, go to EUD: Cyprus. Watch the upper right-hand corner video. After the President introduces himself in IG with English mouth movement, he uses this sign twice to talk about Cyprus.
Djibouti (جيبوتي): [Y], PO > signer, FO > NDS, strokes up side of chest with pinky. From http://www.menasy.com/b2796.htm (Djibouti - جيبوتي), which is no longer extant.
Egypt (مصر): (2h)[B] touch FT at an angle like the peak of a pyramid. For a video of this sign, click on Egypt (مصر).
Iran (إيران): [A dot] taps thumb 2x against palm of [B].¹ (< indigenous sign for "gasoline.") For a QuickTime movie of this sign, see ASL browser - Iran.
Iraq (العراق): [Bb] is held with thumbside against the forehead. From http://www.menasy.com/14017.htm (Iraq - العراق), which is no longer extant.
Israel (ישראל): (1) [H] touches chin, then moves down and arcs away until it is PO down and FO away from signer.¹ (2) [5^] strokes chin just like ASL sign for "Jewish".² (< from Jewish custom of not shaving the beard.)
Jordan (المملكة الأردنية الهاشمية): [L], FO up, touches thumb to forehead. For a film of this sign, click on Jordan - المملكة الأردنية الهاشمية.
Kuwait (الكويت): (2h)[H], POs ><, FOs away, DH slices back across NDH FT. For a video of this sign, click on Kuwait - الكويت.
Lebanon (لبنان): (2h)[H dot], PO away, FO up, start high and next to one anothe, then repeatedly close FTs while descending and separating, looking like the ASL sign NO. For an illustration of this sign, go to Arab dictionary indicative of the Deaf animated - Arab states. (< outlining the cedar tree on flag.)
Libya (ليبيا): Palmar side of [B] strokes cheek without bending. For a video of this sign, click on Arab dictionary indicative of the Deaf animated - Arab states.
Morocco (المغرب): (2h)[B], POs > signer, FOs ><, hands are held with DH just above eyes and NDH just below. Hands make tiny symmetric circles in place For a video of this sign, click on Morocco - المغرب.
Oman (سلطنة عمان): [5], PO > signer, FO > NDS, puts thumb under chin. For a video of this sign, click on Oman - اسلطنة عمان.
Palestine (فلسطين): [5], PO > NDS, touches shoulder with thumb and closes to [O^] by resting each finger against the thumb, starting with the pinky. For a video of this sign, click on Palestine - فلسطين.
Qatar (قطر): [X], PO > NDS, FO up, is held at mouth and descends slightly while opening to a [1]. For a video of this sign, click on Qatar - قطر.
Saudi Arabia (المملكة العربية السعودية): [H], PO > signer, FO > NDS, touches DS of forehead. For a video of this sign, click on Saudi Arabia - المملكة العربية السعودية.
Somalia (Somaliya): [L] points thumb at chin and index at temple and moves away while closing to a [bO] twice. For a video of this sign, click on Somalia لصومال.
Sudan (السودان): [A dot], PO > signer, FO > NDS, strokes at the corner of the mouth. From http://www.menasy.com/b2734.htm (Sudan - السودان), which is no longer extant. There is a new web page from the same group at Sudan (السودان), but the image is missing.
Syria (سوريا): [straight M], PO > signer, touches FTs to palm of [B], PO > DS, FO away from signer. For a video of this sign, click on Syria (سوريا). (< "straight M" is actually the Arabic letter "sin", the first letter in "Syria".)
Tunisia (تونس): Thumb of [bC], PO > NDS, FO away, touches forehead. For a video of this sign, click on Tunisia (تونس).
Turkey (Türkiye): (1) [bC], PO > NDS< FO up, taps forehead with index finger. To see a video of this sign, go to Türk İşaret Dili | Turkish Sign Language. (2) [bC], PO > NDS< FO up, touches forehead with index finger and then sweeps from NDS to DS. (< crescent moon on flag.) To see a video of this sign, go to Turkish Sign Language Word List: Turkey - Türkiye.
United Arab Emirates (دولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة): [bC] brushes FT against cheek from ear to chin and descends. For a video of this sign, click on United Arab Emirates (دولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة).
Yemen (اليمن): [Y], FO > NDS, rubs palm against belly while moving up and down. For a video of this sign, click on Yemen (اليمن).

List of sources cited

1. Signs around the world: Countries [Videotape]. Burtonsville, MD: Sign Media.
2. Savir, C. (ed.) (1992). Gateway to Israeli Sign Language. Tel Aviv: The Association of the Deaf in Israel.
3. Martin Hiraga, CI/CT, personal communication to Bryan Rowe, reported February 25, 2002.
4. From a handout I was given that included indigenous signs I have seen in other reference works, so it seems properly researched.

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