The American Sign Language Phrase Book (58 page)

animals

ANNUAL

ANY

AOL

APPLE

APPOINTMENT—reserve, reservation, engagement

appropriate (AGREE)

approve (SECOND A MOTION)

arid (DRY)

ARIZONA

ARREST

ARRIVE

ART—draw

articles

AS—
SM
: as, like, some

    
DM
: also, accordingly,

ask a question (QUERY)

ask for (PRAY)

ASL (American Sign Language)

aspire (AIM)

aspirin

assembly (CONVENE)

assist (HELP)

atheist (DISBELIEVE)

ATLANTA

ATTACH

attempt (TRY)

AUNT

AUSTRALIA

AUTUMN

away (ABSENT)

awful (LOUSY)

AWFUL—As an idiom it may mean Terrific! Super! Awesome!

BABY

BABY CRY

BACON

baggage (LUGGAGE)

BANANA

bankrupt (BROKE)

Baptist (BAPTIZE)

BAPTIZE

BASEBALL

BASKETBALL

BATH—bathe, take a bath

bathroom (TOILET)

be able (CAN)

BEAR

beautiful (PRETTY)

BECAUSE

BECKON—summon

BECOME—come to be, get to be, turn out to be; turn into, change into

becoming (AGREE)

BED—go to bed, go to sleep, in bed

BEE

BEER

begin (START)

BELIEVE

BELT

BEST

BET

BETTER

big (LARGE)

BILLIARDS—pool

BIRD

BIRTH—give birth

birthday—combination of BIRTH and DAY

BLACK

BlackBerry pager

BLESS

BLIND

blog

BLOOD—bleed

blouse (SHIRT)

BLOW NOSE—cold, have a cold

BLUE

BOAT

BODY

body language

BODY THERAPY (physical therapy)—combination of BODY and THERAPY

BOIL

bologna (SAUSAGE)

BOOK

BOOKS

boring (DRY)

born (BIRTH)

borrow (LEND)

BOTH

BOW TIE

BOWL

BOX

BOY

BREAD

BREAK

BREAKDOWN

breakfast—combination of EAT and MORNING

bright (CLEAR)

BRING

BRING—take

BROKE (be out of money, bankrupt)

BROTHER

BROWN

BRUSH HAIR—brush one's hair; hairbrush

BUDDHISM/BUDDHIST

BUILD—build, building

BURN

bus

BUSY (business)

BUT—although, however, still, yet; different, unlike; difference

BUTTER

BUTTERFLY

button

BUY—
SM
: purchase

    
DM
: shopping

cab

CABBAGE

CABLE SERVICE

CABLE TV

cafe (RESTAURANT)

CAKE

CALCULATOR

CALIFORNIA

call on the phone (PHONE)

CAMCORDER

CAMEL

CAMERA

CAN—be able; may; could; possible

CANADA

CANCEL

CANOE—row, paddle; oar, rowboat

CAN'T—be unable; may not; could not; not possible

CAPTION

CAR—drive a car

CARDS—play cards; deal cards

CARELESS

CARROT

CAT

CATSUP

cause and effect statements

CD DISK

cell phone (MOBILE PHONE)

certain, certainly (TRUE)

CHAIN—chains; the Olympics

CHANGE—adapt, alter, convert, modify

change into (BECOME)

chapter (LESSON)

charge (COST)

CHECK

CHECKERS

chemistry (SCIENCE)

CHERISH

CHICAGO

CHICKEN—often the sign BIRD will mean "chicken"

CHILDREN

CHINA

CHOIR—combination of MUSIC and GROUP

CHOOSE

CHRIST

CHRISTIAN—combination of CHRIST and AGENT

CHURCH

cinema (MOVIE)

CITY

CLEANERS—dry cleaning

CLEAR—bright; light; obvious

CLOSE—to shut down

CLOSE BOOK

CLOSE CAPTION

CLOSE DOOR

CLOSE (shut)

CLOSE WINDOW

closed-circuit television magnifier

CLOUD

club

COAT—put on an outer garment; jacket, sweater

COCHLEAR IMPLANT

COCKTAIL

COCONUT

COFFEE

COKE

COLD

COLD—be cold; winter

cold (BLOW NOSE)

COLLEGE—university

COLOR

COLORADO

colors

COMB

COME HERE

come to be (BECOME)

COME—used mainly to tell someone to approach, as in "Come on" and "Come here"

commands or requests

COMMUNION

COMPETE—race, competition, contest, run

COMPLAIN—object, protest, beef, gripe, grumble

complex statements

comprehend (UNDERSTAND)

COMPUTER

concur (AGREE)

conference (CONVENE)

CONFESSION—a religious rite only

CONGRESS

congresswoman—combination of CONGRESS and WOMAN

CONNECT

connect (JOIN)

context

CONTROL—administer, direct, manage, run

CONVENE—meet in a group; assembly, convention, conference

convention (CONVENE)

convert (CHANGE)

COOK—kitchen, stove

COPY

CORN

COST—charge a fee, fine, penalize, tax; penalty; price; tax

could (CAN)

could not (CAN'T)

counsel (ADVISE)

COUNTRY—both "nation" and "rural area"

course (LESSON)

court (JUDGE)

COUSIN

COW

CRACKER—also used for "Passover" because of the significance of matzo in the seder

CRASH—computer

CRAZY (insane)

CREAM

creature (ANIMAL)

CRUCIFY

crummy (LOUSY)

daily (EVERY DAY)

DANCE

DARK

dates

DAUGHTER

DAY

DEAF

deal cards (CARDS)

debate (DISCUSS)

debt (OWE)

decimals

DEER

DELETE

DELICIOUS

demand (REQUIRE)

DEMOCRAT

DENMARK

DENTIST

DEPART

descriptive statements

DESSERT

DEVIL

didn't (NOT)

DIE

difference (BUT)

different (BUT)

DIGITAL CAMERA

dine (EAT)

dinner/supper—combination of EAT and NIGHT

direct (CONTROL)

DIRTY

DISBELIEVE—doubt, be skeptical; used often in such expressions as, "I doubt if he will come"

DISCUSS—talk about, talk over; debate, discussion

DISGUST—offend, repel; disgusting, repulsive, sickening

DISOBEY

DIVORCED

DO-DO—used to signify uncertainty about what to do, as in "Now what?" "What next?" and "What's to be done?"

DOCTOR

DOG

DOLL

DOLLAR

DOMINOES

DON'T

DON'T KNOW

DON'T LIKE

DON'T MIND

don't (NOT)

DON'T WANT

DOOR—The sign must be made so that the "door" is opened and then shut. If only one movement is used, it will mean "Open the door" or "Shut the door"

DOORBELL

DORM

dos and don'ts

DOWNLOAD

DOWNTOWN

draw (ART)

DRAW BLOOD—take a sample of blood; donate blood

DRESS—get dressed, put on clothes; clothes, dress

DRY—arid; boring, uninteresting

dry cleaners (CLEANERS)

DURING—in the course of, at the time of; while; often expressed in English by the word "when" as in "When I was a little boy. . ."

DVD/VHS PLAYER

E-MAIL

EAGLE

EARTH—geography

earthquake—combination of EARTH and SHAKE

EASY

EAT—dine; food

EAT UP

EDUCATION—This sign is used almost exclusively in academic circles. In most other situations, the TEACH sign is used

EGG

eggs over easy—combination of FLIP OVER and EASY

EGYPT

elect (VOTE)

ELECTRONIC GAMES

ELEPHANT

ELEVATOR

EMERGENCY VEHICLE—ambulance or any emergency vehicle

enemy (OPPOSITE)

engagement (APPOINTMENT)

ENGLAND

English—stands for both the country of England and the language

enjoy (PLEASE)

ENOUGH

ENTER—go into

EPISCOPAL

ERASE BOARD

et cetera (VARIOUS)

EUROPE

evening (NIGHT)

EVERY DAY—daily

EVERY SATURDAY

EVERY SUNDAY

EVERY THREE MONTHS

EVERY TUESDAY

exam (TEST)

except, exception (SPECIAL)

exclamatory statements

EXCUSE—pardon

EXERCISE

expect (HOPE)

EXPENSIVE

FACE—resemble, look like

facial expressions

FAIL

FAITH

FAMILY

FARM

FAST

fast (RAPID)

FATHER

fax

fee (COST)

FEEL—sense

FEW—several

FILE—computer

film (MOVIE)

FINE

fine

FINE—all right, OK

fingerspelling

FINGERSPELL—spell

FINISH

FINISH—(1) done with, over with;

    (2) when used with a verb sign, places the action of the verb in the past; example: EAT FINISH means "ate," "eaten," "did eat," etc.

    (3) often covers the meaning of "when," "after," and then," as in "When he had eaten he left," and "He ate, then he left," all of which are signed EAT FINISH HE DEPART

    (4) used idiomatically to mean, "That's enough!" "Stop it!" "Don't do that!"