Month: October 2022

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HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

I started this monster list with the ASL hand sign for Halloween, so as promised, I’m posting my dictionary’s other hand sign for this October 31st holiday, a Canadian variant for the regions of Manitoba and Ontario. Like many holidays, Halloween also has a variety of variant hand signs with visual references to its season of masks, costumes, scares, and candy.
My ASL Dictionary has a cartoon of a Trick-or-Treater, also in the dark, dressed in a Bat-inspired costume for the ASL hand sign for HALLOWEEN.
The back of the Flat hand slaps the opposite cheek twice, like slapping on Halloween makeup.

#ASL #americansignlanguage #signlanguage #Halloween #costume #cartoon #dictionary #myasldictionary

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WICCAN DIVISOR

While it was a coincidence that landed the Math chapter of my ASL lessons in October, the monsters of the Halloween season did a great job illustrating these hand signs. The next calculation to follow multiplication was division. Keeping with the season’s genre, I used a wicked witch (the first of many such spellcasters found in my dictionary). With her green spotted hands, she shows the visual of splitting something apart.
#ASL #signlanguage #witch #divide #division #split #spitup #cartoon #myasldictionary

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MULTIPLE COPY

After re-creating Frankenstein’s monster, I added the monster’s bride to display the other hand sign for Multiply. Like Plus and Minus, the index fingers are shaped to mimic the mathematical symbol. The bride’s picture also reminded me that while I enjoyed redrawing older illustrations, the book would never be finished if I didn’t move forward with new words.
#ASL #signlanguage #multiply #multiplication #cartoon #dictionary #brideoffrankenstein

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MONSTER ESCALATION

Multiplication and Division are the next steps in mathematical calculations. In 2020, with my dictionary almost complete, I returned to some of my earlier images to redraw them with a clearer picture, including this popular Halloween Creature.

My ASL Dictionary has a cartoon of Frankenstein’s Monster illustrating the ASL hand sign for MULTIPLY.
V hands cross each other at the wrist Once or Twice, like the x symbol for multiply.
WORSE is a similar hand sign to Multiply but with a different facial expression, hand sign, and position.
With a sneering facial expression, the K hands cross each other lower on the chest Once.

#ASL #signlanguage #multiply #figure #figureout #worse #worst #cartoon #myasldictionary #frankensteinmonster

As Frankenstein’s hubris gave life to a Simulacrum creation of body parts, this cartoon is an error in the dictionary.
In the book, Multiply is drawn and listed as a K hand sign and single movement when it is the V hand with a double or single movement depending on context. For a Math question, 27 * 3, the hand sign for times is a single motion, but if discussing Multiplication it is twice. Similar to the double movements for Nouns (chair) and the single movement for Verbs (sit). I apologize for my book’s complications.

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SPACE TAKE OFF

With eight years between the two subtract hand signs, I needed a visual to connect them. To match the Alien costume of Subtract, I drew the next character in a Space Outfit for Alien Planet exploration. This hand sign for subtraction represents the mathematical symbol for minus with the index finger placed inside the palm.
#ASL @signlanguage #spaceoutfit #subtract #minus #negative #cartoon #dictionary

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ALIEN WITHDRAW

Similar to Add, there are different hand signs for Subtract, one for the mathematical symbol and the other for its actions. Keeping with the Halloween Spirit I used for Addition, I dressed the new character in a Green Alien costume. The Opposite of Addition, its visual is now of the dominant hand removing something from the other.
#ASL #signlanguage #alien #costume #subtract #discount #deduct #eliminate

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EXTRA ADDITION

Doctor, Scientist, Monster Hunter, and arch nemesis of Dracula, this cartoon of Van Helsing illustrates another ASL hand sign for Add as well as Add to, Extra, Plus, Additionally and In Addition To. With my dictionary already containing grey-haired scientists, I went with the younger film version of this professor. Instead of using a math symbol, this hand sign uses the visual image of Add with the dominant hand bringing an additional amount to the other.
#ASL #signlanguage #vanhelsing #add #add-to #extra plus #in addition to #addition #vampirehunter #cartoon #dictionary 

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ADDED BITES

The next vampire drawn for my collection was during the Math chapter of the ASL course. With the previous error of her index finger repaired, this vampiress shows the ASL hand sign for Plus, Positive, and Add. Her crossed index fingers mimic the mathematical symbol for plus. While not showing off her fangs I use the animation to allow her to creepily disappear into the night.
#ASL #signlanguage #plus #positive #vampire #cartoon #dictionary

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KILLER SMILE

The creature that would appreciate dental care the most, I used a vampire to illustrate the hand sign for this occupation. Wearing a bright blue gown with a matching vampire collar, this dentist shows off his pearly whites after giving his title. I’m still happy with this earlier picture and as a nice plus, my dentist liked it too. The other Dentist hand sign combines the signs, Tooth, and Agent.
#ASL #signlanguage #dentist #vampire #cartoon #dictionary

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PUBLISHING DEAL

Two years ago, October 21, 2020,  I finally finished my book, My ASL Dictionary (well before I would make editing changes and improvements) and after searching publishers made a deal with Tellwell Talent Inc to get it published!  Still I held onto to the hope that with the digital book’s success, a hard-copy could come later. My first published book finally for sale,  with current royalties at $91.29, the challenge remains to let more people know about its existence as I know it would make a great ASL study resource for others.
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