How to say thank you in a sign language? We can say thank you in a sign language by starting with the fingers of the dominant hand near the lips. The hand should be a “flat hand”. Move your hand forward and a little down in the direction of the individual you are thanking. Also smile while thanking so the next person will know you mean it.
Thank you, or the easy form- thanks, is a respectful expression of one’s gratitude and is utilized often in everyday communications and interactions. While manners and protocol differ between cultures, a sincere thank you is a simple way to manifest gratitude among most people. Since indicating respect and good manners is important when learning new languages, including American Sign Language (ASL), learning to sign thank you is necessary.
Thank You
Thank you is a first little linguistic to warm us up. The words in two languages that can share a similar meaning, pronunciation, spelling, linguistic derivation, or root are known as the cognates. While all sign languages around the world are dissimilar from each other, French Sign Language (FSL) hugely impacted the indigenous sign language to the US, resulting in ASL.
By Frenchman Laurent Clerc, FSL was brought to the U.S. Frenchman Laurent was one of Gallaudet University’s founders. So, it should come as no surprise that in both FSL and ASL the sign for thank you is the same. In fact, approximately 60 percent of ASL vocabulary can be traced to FSL cognates according to Dr. Susan Rutherford.
Let’s begin with English, since you’re currently reading it. In English, to make sense thank you needs two words the verb “to thank” and the object “you.” But, in ASL to say thank you only one sign is utilized. In this sign, the object “you” is already involved. This is because the syntax and grammar of ASL and English are not similar.
ASL sign for Thank You
ASL or asl (lower case) stands for “American sign language” used for deaf and dumb peoples. In the modern age, asl or Asl means age, sex, and location, generally used in chat and text to get information about the person who talks. ASL is also used in the written context of “as ■■■■”. For example, if someone annoys you then you could write “you are annoying asl”.
It is a complete and organized visual language, contains similar linguistic properties as any other spoken language. ASL speaks through body language and facial expression, every gesture possesses its own meaning. Normal peoples also learn this sign language if they have any deaf members in their family, friends, and relative, or it could be learned for educational purposes. ASL is the third most used language in America, closely related to French sign language.
In ASL, thank you is signed one-handed starting with the fingers of the dominant hand near the chin. The hand should be a “flat hand”. Move your hand forward and a little down in the direction of the individual you are thanking as shown in the image here:
When signing thank you don’t forget to so that the other individual knows you’re thanking and showing respect. Facial expressions play an essential role in ASL grammar and with appropriate signs should be used in conjunction.
Thank You Very Much
To emphasize that you are very grateful when signing thank you there are some ways. One way is to sign thank you use both hands which is also useful when you are thanking many people or a huge group all at once. When by using two hands you are saying many thanks or thank you so much, which are both suitable depending on the circumstances and pitch you use*.* Another way to indicate significance is to repeat the sign thank you many times. Now you know how to sign thank you very much and thank you it’s time for a bit of caution.
PSA about Signing Thank You
From the front of the chin Thank you is signed one-handed. Be careful not to start that sign under the chin before curving outward or you change it to f** you*, which is considered disrespectful to most people. Further, beginning at your cheek, next to your chin, and moving outward is the sign for courtesan, or similar terms.
Finally, beginning from your lips, rather than your chin before the outward curve, is blowing a kiss. A lost sign starting point can be the difference between a sign of appreciation and one of insult. That makes it important to use the accurate palm orientation, handshape, location, non-manual signals/ expressions, and other language traits you’ll learn about later, when signing ASL.
Responding to Thank You
Responding to thank you is more alike to de nada in Spanish than to you’re welcome in English. for responding to thank you in ASL there are many options. As with other languages, you can simply smile and nod your head. But remember that this option is casual and more frequently used with family and friends.
No problem, it was nothing and all-good are another signs to respond to thank you. A less general option is to sign thank you back to the individual who thanked you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some frequently asked questions regarding thank you in sign language
Q1. Is ASL hard to learn?
ASL is a complex and complete language with all the subtleties and nuances of a spoken language. Like all other languages beyond a basic level it is not mastered easily.
Q2. How do you say please in ASL?
In ASL to sign please take your dominant hand with the fingers held together and extended and thumb sticking out and extended. Take the hand with palm facing in and on your chest rub it in a circle.
Q3. How many signs are in ASL?
A set of 26 signs is possesses by the ASL known as the American manual alphabet, which can be utilized to spell out words from the English language.
Q4. Are thank you and good the same in ASL?
Good and thank you are not the same in ASL and there is a slight difference between the signs “Good” and “Thank you”. This slight difference is that thank you is directional. That implies that it is signed toward the individual whom is being thanked. Good is signed with a simple downward movement.
Q5. What is the most popular sign language?
The mostly commonly used sign language is the PSE in the United States among deaf persons. From ASL the vocabulary is drawn but it follows English order.
Conclusion
By starting with the fingers of the dominant hand near the lips we can say thank you in a sign language. Move your hand forward and a little down in the direction of the individual you are thanking. While signing thank you don’t forget to smile. Thank you is utilized often in everyday communications and interactions and it is a respectful expression of one’s gratitude. You can sign thank you very much by using both hands.
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