American Sign Language (ASL) Series 2 Lesson 11
Signing Time – Part one
By Elaine Ernst Schneider
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NOTE: The signs for day, week, month and year are illustrated as if you are watching someone else sign. However, because the signs for the months (below) are differentiated by what happens behind the hand, these are drawn as if the signer is looking down at his/her own signs. To make these signs, turn your left hand palm inward and use your right hand to make the letter signs. Then move your right hand over the left as if turning the page of a calendar. In some instances, a second letter is made on the other side of the left hand, i.e. once the “imaginary” page is turned.
The Twelve Months
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| February | March | April |
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| May | June | July | August |
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| September | October | November | December |
Series 2 Lesson 11 Time – Part one
| Signs | Description of Sign Action |
| April | Hold the left hand, palm forward, as an imaginary calendar. Then place a right “a” hand on the palm of the left hand, moving it up and over the fingertips, as if flipping a calendar page. |
| August | Hold a left “B” hand in front of the chest, fingers together, palm facing inward. Place the palm side of a right “A” hand against the left palm. Then move the right “A” hand up and over the left hand (this symbolizes turning a calendar page) ending in a “G” hand as the right hand finishes in front of the left hand. |
| day | Point the left arm and index finger to the right, palm down. Rest the elbow of the right arm on the left index finger of the left hand. Move a right “d” hand and arm in an arc across the body from right to left, as if the sun is moving across the sky and then setting just above the horizon. |
| December | Move a right “D” hand from the palm of an open left hand, up and over the left hand, as if turning the page of a calendar. |
| February | Move a right “F” hand from the palm of an open left hand, up and over the left hand, as if turning the page of a calendar. |
| January | Move a right “J” hand from the palm of an open left hand, up and over the left hand, as if turning the page of a calendar. |
| July | Hold a left “B” hand in front of the chest, fingers together, palm facing inward. Place the tip of the little finger of a right “J” hand against the left palm. Then move the right “J” hand up and over the left hand (this symbolizes turning a calendar page) ending in a “Y” hand as the right hand finishes in front of the left hand. |
| June | Hold a left “B” hand in front of the chest, fingers together, palm facing inward. Place the tip of the little finger of a right “J” hand against the left palm. Then move the right “J” hand up and over the left hand (this symbolizes turning a calendar page) ending in an “N” hand as the right hand finishes in front of the left hand. |
| March | Hold the left hand, palm forward, as an imaginary calendar. Then place a right “m” hand on the palm of the left hand, moving it up and over the fingertips, as if flipping a calendar page. |
| May | Hold the left hand, palm forward, as an imaginary calendar. Then place a right “m” hand on the palm of the left hand, moving it up and over the fingertips, as if flipping a calendar page. The right “m” hand changes to a “y” sign as the fingertips of the left hand are cleared. |
| month | Touch the index finger of a right “D” hand against the index finger of a left “D” hand, starting at the tip and moving toward the knuckle. |
| November | Hold a left open hand in front of the body, palm facing inward, fingers close together. Place the right “n” hand in the palm of the left hand; then move the “n” over the top of the left hand and down the other side, as if flipping the November page of a calendar. |
| October | Hold a left open hand in front of the body, palm facing inward, fingers close together. Place the right “o” hand in the palm of the left hand; then move the “o” over the top of the left hand and down the other side, as if flipping the October page of a calendar. |
| September | Hold a left open hand in front of the body, palm facing inward, fingers close together. Place the right “s” hand in the palm of the left hand; then move the “s” over the top of the left hand and down the other side, as if flipping the September page of a calendar. |
| week | Using the right “d” hand, move the index finger across the left flat palm from the thumb to the tips of the fingers. |
| year | Circle the right “S” hand forward over the left “S” hand, moving under the left hand and ending at rest on top of the right “S” hand. Hint: This represents the cycle of the earth on its axis over the course of the year. |
Continue to Lesson 11 ASL Time, Part 2
