Month: February 2025

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ELECTION VOTES

A visual reminder to my fellow Ontarians to step up, choose their candidate, and cast their vote in the Ontario election today.

My ASL Dictionary has a cartoon of a determined Canadian voter dressed for inclement weather in a bright hat, scarf, and coat, showing the ASL hand sign for VOTE.

The thumb tip of the F hand taps down into the edge of the opposite O hand, like sticking a ballot into the box.

#asl #americansignlanguage #signlanguage #vote #election2025 #cartoon #dictionary #myasldictionary

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HAIR THERAPY

“Life is too short to have boring Hair”.
Demonstrating the fashion of long hair for men, My ASL Dictionary has a cartoon of a Hippie to show the ASL hand signs for HAIR.

Open F hand taps shut, with the thumb resting on the side temple twice, like grabbing a strand of hair.
OR
F hand tugs on a small strand of hair twice.

#ASL #americansignlanguage #signlanguage #hair #cartoon #dictionary #myasldictionary

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SHAVE AND A HAIRCUT

Be it a quick trip to the Barber or the Salon, there’s always time for a trim.
My ASL Dictionary has a cartoon of a movie hairdresser with scissor hands wearing silver gloves to show ASL hand signs for HAIRCUT.

The V hands pull back the side of the head to close into U hands twice, a classifier for scissors cutting hair.
OR
The V hand by the side of the head hair closes into a U hand twice, like scissors snipping hair.

To fit the title, my cartoon hairdresser shows an ASL hand sign for SHAVE.
The top of the X hand moves down the cheek twice, like a barber’s razor.
Similar to the hand sign for Razor.

#ASL #signlanguage #signlanguage #haircut #shave #cartoon #dictionary #myasldictionary

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GREAT AUNTS AND UNCLES

As Families are like a House of Cards, my dictionary has cartoons of playing card characters for the Family ASL hand signs. With Fathers, Mothers, and Grandparents as Kings and Queens, I have Jacks for the next rank, the Parent’s siblings. This post adds an upgrade to the book by including their variant ASL signs, often used in Canada.

For the Parents’ sister, My ASL Dictionary has a Playing Card Lady Jack of Diamonds showing the ASL hand sign for AUNT.

The A hand twists by the cheek
OR
The thumb of the A hand by the cheek is drawn downward twice

#asl #americansignlanguage #signlanguage #uncle #cartoon #dictionary #myasldictionary

For the Parents’ brother, My ASL Dictionary has a Playing Card Jack of Hearts showing the ASL hand sign for UNCLE.

The U hand twists by the temple
OR
The U hand near the forehead is drawn downward twice.

#asl #americansignlanguage #signlanguage #uncle #cartoon #dictionary #myasldictionary

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SISTER SOLDIER

The character designs of the suits in playing card decks make a great visual for my dictionary’s ASL hand signs for family members. With the King and Queen as the hand signs for Parents and Grandparents, it fell on the Jacks, the Knaves, and Soldiers of the Royal Court, to represent the siblings.

My ASL Dictionary has a cartoon of a Lady Jack in modified regal robes showing the ASL hand sign for SISTER.

The Modified L hand on the chin becomes a “1” hand as it moves down to the opposite “1” hand.

#asl #americansignlanguage #signlanguage #sister #cartoon #dictionary #myasldictionary

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HAPPY FAMILY DAY!

Every third Monday of February, Canada celebrates the annual holiday, Family Day. For this Heritage Day, my dictionary’s hand sign for this precious group.

From the Queen of the Hearts to the Joker, My ASL Dictionary has cartoons of this royal family illustrating the Family ASL hand signs.
The Queen of the Deck, her crown and robes displaying all the suits, shows the ASL hand sign for FAMILY.

Both F hands, touching at the fingertips of the thumb and index finger, arc away in a half circle to meet in front of the body resting on the pinkie fingers.

#ASL #americansignlanguage #signlanguage #family #familyday #cartoon #dictionary #myasldictionary

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TIMMIES

Home of Canada’s favourite coffee, donuts, and cookies, the first Tim Horton’s donut shop opened May 17, 1964, in Hamilton, Ontario, by founder and hockey player Miles Gilbert “Tim” Horton.

It is common in ASL for popular brand names and companies to have sign names. A Cartoon of my good friend and hairdresser, Maria Coleman, dressed in the Tim Horton Coffee Cup Costume she made for Halloween in 2012, shows two ASL hand signs for TIM HORTONS.
(For fun and reference to the founder, I changed the name to Miles)

The F hand taps over the eye twice, a visual for the pastry’s donut hole (and popular timbits).
OR
The T hand quickly snaps into an H
(Similar to the hand sign for THURSDAY)

#ASL #americansignlanguage #signlanguage #mariacoleman #timhortons #cartoon #dictionary #myasldictionary

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FAVOURITE THINGS

In terms of preferences and likes, we all have our favourite things.

My ASL Dictionary has a Scottish chief in her plaid apron illustrating the ASL hand sign for FAVOURITE.

The tip of the bent middle finger taps the chin Twice.
Similar to the hand sign for TASTE.

#ASL #signlanguage #americansignlanguage #favourite #cartoon #dictionary #myasldictionary

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GOING CRAZY

Insanity, Madness, Mentally deranged, distracted by excitement, infatuation, or obsession, Crazy has many definitions.

My ASL Dictionary has a silly clown in his serious brown suit illustrating the ASL hand sign for CRAZY.
The Index finger (or Clawed Hand) draws a circle near the side of the head twice, like scrambled thoughts.
Similar to the hand sign for WACKY.

#ASL #americansignlanguage #signlanguage #crazy #cartoon #dictionary #myasldictionary

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WHEN YOU’RE SMILING

“If you Smile long enough, the reason will appear.”
Turning the corners of the mouth upwards has always been a universal facial expression for Happiness.

My ASL Dictionary has a cheerful young woman dressed in a sunny yellow top with white flowers showing the ASL hand sign for SMILE.

Palms down the fingertips of the ‘One’ hands pull back and upward past the cheek, like tracing a growing smile on the face.

#ASL #americansignlanguage #signlanguage #smile #cartoon #dictionary #myasldictionary