The American Sign Language Phrase Book (60 page)

OPEN

OPEN BOOK

OPEN DOOR

OPEN WINDOW

OPERATE

OPINION

opposed to (AGAINST)

OPPOSITE—enemy, opponents

ORAL THERMOMETER

ORANGE

ORDER

OREGON

OUR

OURSELVES

OUT

over again (AGAIN)

overshoes (GALOSHES)

OWE—debt

own (HAVE)

PACK BAGS

paddle (CANOE)

pagers

PAIN

PANTS

PAPER

pardon (EXCUSE)

PARENTS

park (VEHICLE)

PARTNER

PASS

PAST—This sign is often interchangeable with the FINISH sign to indicate than action is in the past. The sentence MOVIE SEE PAST means "I've seen this movie before," which is essentially the same as, "I've already seen the movie"

past, present, and future

PASTE

PAY

PENSION

PEOPLE

PEPPER

PEPSI

percentages

PETITION

PHILADELPHIA

PHILOSOPHY

PHONE

phrase (SENTENCE)

PICKET

PICKLE

PICTURE

PIE

PILL

PILOT

PINK

PITTSBURGH

PITY

placement of signs

PLAN—arrange, arrangement, organize, prepare

PLAY

PLAY—to play games

play cards (CARDS)

PLEASE—enjoy; pleasure. Also used for politeness in requests such as "Please sit down"

pleasure (PLEASE)

PLUG IN

plurals

POLAND—Polish

POLICE

pool (BILLIARDS)

POPULAR

possess (HAVE)

possible (CAN)

POSTPONE—put off

POTATO

PRAY

PREACH—sermon

PREFER

prep student—combination of PREP, LEARN, and AGENT

present, presently (NOW)

PRESIDENT—superintendent

PRETTY—beautiful, lovely

price (COST)

PRIEST

PRINT

printing documents

PROGRAM

PROHIBIT—against the law, forbidden, illegal, not allowed

pronouns

PROPHECY

protest (COMPLAIN)

Protestant (KNEEL)

PROTEST—strike

PSYCHOLOGY

PTA

PULL TOOTH

PUNISH

purchase (BUY)

PURPLE

PUT

QUERY—ask a question, inquire

quiz (TEST)

RABBI

RABBIT

RAIN

RAPID—fast

RAT

READ

reading the drawings

READY

real, really (TRUE)

RED

regret (SORRY)

RELIGION

REMOTE CONTROL

repeat (AGAIN)

repel (DISGUST)

REPUBLICAN

repulsive (DISGUST)

requests or commands

REQUIRE—demand

RESEARCH

resemble (FACE)

reserve, reservation (APPOINTMENT)

RESPONSIBLE

REST—relax

RESTAURANT—cafe

restroom (TOILET)

RÉSUMÉ

resurrection—combination of GET UP and AGAIN

rhetorical questions (RHQ)

RIDE HORSE

RIGHT—opposite of left

RIGHT TURN

RIP

ROCKET

ROLLER-SKATE

ROMAN CATHOLIC

ROOMMATE

rotten (LOUSY)

row (CANOE)

rowboat (CANOE)

RUBBER

RUN

RUNNY NOSE

RUSSIA—Russian

SABBATH/SUNSET

SAILBOAT—sailing

SALAD

SALT

salvation (SAVE)

SAME—similar

SAN FRANCISCO

SANDWICH

SATELLITE DISH

SATURDAY

SAUSAGE

SAVE—free, liberate, safe, salvation

say (SPEAK)

SCAN

SCARE—afraid; frighten

SCHOOL

SCIENCE—chemistry

SCOTLAND—Scottish, Scot; Scotch (the drink)

scrambled eggs—combination of EGG and MIX

SEARCH—hunt for

SECOND A MOTION

SEE

SEMESTER

SENATE

senator—combination of SENATE and AGENT

SEND

SEND ME

SENIOR

sense (FEEL)

SENTENCE—phrase

sermon (PREACH)

SERVE—wait on

several (FEW)

SEW

SHAKE—thunder

SHARE—divide up; make change

SHAVE

SHE HELP YOU

SHEEP

SHIFT

SHIRT

SHIRT—blouse

SHOES

shoot for (AIM)

SHORT—height

SHORTER SLEEVE

SHORTS

SHOWER

shut (CLOSE)

SICK—ill

sickening (DISGUST)

SIDEKICK

Sidekick III pager

sight line

SIGN—sign language

sign labels

sign systems

SIGNAL/SATELLITE

signs versus words

similar (SAME)

simple statements

SIN

SISTER

SIT—chair; seat; have a seat

SKI

SKILL—ability, talent

SKIRT

SLACKS

SLOW

SMALL

SMALL (glass)

SMOKE CIGARETTE

smoky (CLOUD)

SNAKE

SNOW

SOCCER

Social Security (SS)

SOCKS

SOFT

soft-boiled eggs

SOFT DRINK

software

SOMETIMES

SON

SOPHOMORE

SORRY—regret

SOUL

SPAIN—Spanish

SPEAK—say, speech

SPECIAL EDUCATION

spectacles (GALLAUDET)

speech (SPEAK)

spell (FINGERSPELL)

SPOON/SOUP

spring (GROW)

START—begin

statements, making

statements that ask questions

statements that do not ask questions

statements that move from general to specific

statements that require real-time sequencing

STAY HERE

stepfather/mother/brother/sister

stimulus-response statements

STINGY

STOMACH ACHE

STOP

stringing the signs together

STUCK

student—combination of LEARN and AGENT

STUDY

suitcase (LUGGAGE)

SUMMER

summon (BECKON)

SUN

Sunday (WONDERFUL)

sunny-side up eggs—THUMB UP

SUNRAY

SUNSET

SUNSET/SABBATH

superintendent (PRESIDENT)

supper/dinner—combination of EAT and NIGHT

Supplemental Salary Income (SSI)

SUPPORT

sure, surely (TRUE)

SURFBOARD

SURGERY—operation

sweater (COAT)

SWEDEN—Swedish

SWEET—cute, sugar

SWIM

SWITZERLAND—Swiss

TABLE TENNIS

TAKE UP—as in "to take Spanish" or "take up golf"

talent (SKILL)

TALK

TALL (glass)

tax (COST)

TDD

TEA

TEACH—instruct

teacher—combination of TEACH and AGENT

TELL

TELL ME

TEMPERATURE—thermometer

TEMPLE

TEND TO

TENNIS

TENT—camp, camping

terrible (1) AWFUL

    (2) LOUSY

TEST—exam

TEXAS

TEXT

text messaging

THAN

thank you (GOOD)

THANKSGIVING

THAT—this sign can mean "this," "that," "them," "those," "they," and "it." Idiomatically it can mean "Oh, I see," "So, that's it," or "Aha, I get it!" It is often done by the watcher while the signer is signing, in much the same way hearing people nod their head and say "uh-huh" or "yes" while listening to a speaker

THEIR

THEMSELVES

THERAPY—this is a new sign used mostly in academic circles, but it is gaining fast acceptance

THERE

thermometer (TEMPERATURE)

THEY

THEY—them

THREE

THUMB UP

thunder (SHAKE)

THURSDAY

TICKET

TIE

TIE KNOT

TIGER

TIME

TIME—the time of day as well as "time" in "three times" and "have a good time"

time

time indicators

TIRED—weary

titles

"to be," verb

TOAST

TOILET—bathroom, rest room

TOMATO

tomb (GRAVE)

TOMORROW

TOO MUCH

TOOTHACHE

TOOTHBRUSH—brush one's teeth

topic-comment statements

TORNADO

TOUCH—to experience a thing

TRAIN

TREES

TRUE—certain, certainly, indeed, real, really, sure, surely, truly, truth; used mainly to give emphasis to a state of being or condition

truth (TRUE)

TRY—attempt

TTY

TUESDAY

TURKEY

turn into (BECOME)

turn out to be (BECOME)

TV

TV, CABLE

TV, high-definition

TWO HOURS

TWO MONTHS

TWO YEARS AGO

TWO YEARS FROM NOW

UMBRELLA

UNCLE

UNDERSTAND—comprehend

uninteresting (DRY)

UNTIL

UP TILL NOW—to express the idea that an event has/has not been going on from some time in the past up until now, or up until very recently. It stands for the idea of "since" in "I haven't seen you since last Tuesday" and of "been" in "I've been sick for the last month"

USE

used to (LONG AGO)

USED UP—all gone

VACATION—free time

VARIOUS—et cetera

vegetables

VEHICLE—park vehicle; can stand for any type of conveyance (car, bus, train, airplane, motorcycle, bike, etc.)

verb directionality

verb tenses

VIDEO RELAY

video relay service