Explanation of glossing system for indigenous signs

David Bar-Tzur

Created 24 May 1999, links updated monthly with the help of LinkAlarm.

  1. Vocabulary items for countries are listed by geographic area as delineated by The World Almanac Atlas (London: George Philip, Ltd., 1990). Cities are listed separately, according to their country, in alphabetic order.
  2. The handshape(s) used are enclosed in brackets. For foreign visitors to this site who are unfamiliar with ASL fingerspelling, see The fingerspelled alphabet for the handshapes. If the sign is two-handed and the handshapes are the same, (2h) is used before the handshape.
  3. If two-handed, but the handshapes are different, DH (dominant hand) is used, indicating the handshape, later listing NDH (non-dominant hand). NDH may be omitted since the other handshape must now be on the NDH.
  4. Palm orientations are specified: PO up, PO down, PO > NDS (toward non-dominant side), PO > DS (toward dominant side), PO >< (palms face each other).
  5. FO specifies fingertip orientation, similarly to PO. Remember FO is defined in linguistics as the direction the fingertips would point if they were extended, not based on a closed handshape.
  6. Fingerspelling is indicated capital letters separated by dashes. Single letters are slightly shaken in neutral space and are indicated by quotation marks around a single letter.
  7. The last item, "<" (etymology, sign origin), is speculation I have heard from others or my own best guess.
  8. Since I have frequently found more than one sign for each country, and it is hard to check for accuracy unless you know a Deaf native of the given country, I have indicated where I have obtained the sign cited by providing a link to the reference. These references are not in alphabetical order because I am always discovering new sources and it is too time-consuming to keep changing the links. They appear as numbers (footnotes) at the end of each entry which is anchored to a list of references at the end of the list.

Key to abbreviations and symbols

For foreign visitors to this site who are unfamiliar with ASL fingerspelling, see A basic dictionary of ASL terms - the manual alphabet for the handshapes, and ASL University: Handshapes for some additional shapes.

alt.
alternating, that is executed by DH, then NDH, then DH
antisymmetrically
hands behave like the opposite of a mirror image (as in the rolling sign GO)
[As]2As handshape illustrated
the A handshape but the thumb is tucked against the index finger
backhand
not the palm, but the other side of the hand
[B]3B handshape illustrated
the B handshape but the thumb is not tucked into the palm, as in SCHOOL
[B^]1B^ handshape illustrated
the handshape is modified so that fingers are held at 90º angle to palm, as in EQUAL as illustrated with one hand in this entry
[Bb^] or [B||]
is the handshape for MEETING when it is halfway closed
[Bb]1Bb handshape illustrated
the B handshape with the thumb tucked into the palm as in TROUBLE or WORRY
bC
the C handshape with only the thumb and index fingers extended and curled
[bO]3bO handshape illustrated
the O handshape with only the thumb and index fingers extended and curled, called "baby O", as in EXACT
bX
the X handshape with the thumb resting on it
CCW
counterclockwise (as seen from above or from DS) as in WE. Note that this is for the signer who is right-handed. CCW for the left-handed will become CW and vice versa. I devised a handedness-neutral notation, but it is too complicated and therefore confusing.
circle in
The circular direction that is opposite to “circle out” (which see). Clockwise and counterclockwise depend on how you look at the hand and are vague terms.
circle out
The circular direction that the fingers curl in (for whichever hand is moving), if the thumb points straight out like an extension of the arm . Clockwise and counterclockwise depend on how you look at the hand and are vague terms.
ctr
center
CW
clockwise (as seen from above or from DS) as in THEREABOUTS/APPROXIMATELY. Note that this is for the signer who is right-handed. CW for the left-handed will become CCW and vice versa. I devised a handedness-neutral notation, but it is too complicated and therefore confusing.
DFT
fingertips of dominant hand
DH
dominant hand
DS
dominant side
flick index finger1initial position of [flick index finger] handshape illustratedfinal position of [flick index finger] handshape illustrated
The second picture has the PO wrong, but you get the idea; as in UNDERSTAND
FO
fingertip orientation (if fingers were extended)
FT
fingertip(s)
[horns]1[horns] handshape illustrated
handshape where the index and pinky fingers are extended, as in MOCK
L:
very broad [G]
lf
left
NDFT
fingertips of non-dominant hand
NDH
non-dominant hand
NDS
non-dominant side
open 8
the handshape for the sign FEEL
PO
palm orientation
rt
right
symmetrically
hands behave as in a mirror image (as in the sign SEPARATE)
[V:]1V: handshape illustrated
the colon means curl the fingertips of the handshape, as in BLIND
[X]
a letter or number inside brackets indicates handshape
[X dot]
the handshape is modified by extending thumb
[X^]
handshape is modified so that fingers are held at 90 degreee angle to palm, as in [B^] in EQUAL
2x, 3x
twice, three times
(2h)
both hands have the same handshape
[5:]15: handshape illustrated
the colon means curl the fingertips of the handshape
[5^]3B^ handshape illustrated
the carot (^) means bend the fingers at the knuckles, but keep them straight as in the final position of SUNSHINE
<
conjectured etymology (sign origin)
>
towards, as in > DS
><
face each other, as in POs ><
^
handshape is modified so that fingers are held at 90 degreee angle to palm, as in [B^] in EQUAL
+-
sign is repeated while moving in direction indicated: +-> DS, +-up, +-down.

Footnotes

1. ASL University: Handshapes

2. As described in Baker-Shenk, C. & D. Cokely (1991). American Sign Language: A teacher's resource text on grammar and culture. Clerc. ISBN 093032384X.

3. Türk İşaret Dili | Turkish Sign Language.

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