Lesson Tutor American Sign Language Lesson 3 Part A: Family

American Sign Language ( ASL ) for the Deaf  Lesson 3a
By Elaine Ernst Schneider

FamilyThe family is an important unit in someone’s life. Special signs indicate familial relationships. There is a sign for family. Then there are signs for mother, father, sister, and brother – even baby. Let’s learn these signs:

Father		Mother
	Baby
Sister		Brother

Now let’s learn the signs has and have. 

“S” Hands for ‘HAS’ (SE)

“V” hands for ‘HAVE’ (SE)

Have (ASL)

 

Sign	Description of Action
.
baby	Cradle an imaginary baby in arms, the right arm lying on top of the underside of the left arm.
brother	Use the right hand to touch the forehead with the index finger. Then bring the index fingers of both hands together, palms facing down and fingers facing forward, touching them twice to indicate sameness.
father	Place the thumb of right open hand (fingers spread) in middle of  forehead.
has (SE)	“S” hands rest on chest to indicate possession.
have (ASL)	Place fingertips of both hands, palms bent back toward wrists, on the chest to indicate possession.
have (SE)	Place “V” fingers of both hands on the chest to indicate possession.
mother	Place the thumb of right open hand (fingers spread) in middle of  chin.
sister	Using a right “d” hand, touch the right cheek near the mouth. Then bring the right “d” hand down to meet the left “d” hand, palms down and fingers pointing forward, touching them twice to indicate sameness/similarity.

Continue to Lesson 3b
To review your ASL alphabet, A – L    Click here
To review your ASL alphabet, M – Z   Click here
To review the differences between ASL and SE (Signed English) , click here.

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