Month: September 2025

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FEEL THE MUSIC

As Deaf Awareness Month comes to a close, more posts on the figures of Deaf History featured in My ASL Dictionary. When adding these biographies to the dictionary, I made changes and additions to the ASL art to fit. Instead of a cartoon of a woman with large headphones, German composer and pianist Ludwig van Beethoven illustrates the ASL hand sign for MUSIC (a short biography of his accomplishments beside him).

The Flat hand swings back and forth over the opposite bent arm, like a composer flipping through musical sheets.
The opening of Beethoven’s 9th Symphony (which he wrote when deaf) appears before revealing the English word.

#ASL #americansignlanguage #signlanguage #deafhistory #music #ludwigvanbeethoven #comic #dictionary #education #myasldictionary #deafawarenessmonth

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FOGGY WEATHER

From a distance, clouds appear to be bright puffs of cotton in the sky, but near the ground, these water droplets form a thick haze that obscures and blocks visibility.
My ASL Dictionary’s cartoon of a tourist in a blue raincoat illustrates ASL hand signs for FOG.

The claw hands facing each other circle in front of the body, the eyes squinting as if trying to look through the cloud of haze.

#asl #americansignlanguage #signlanguage #fog #cartoon #dictionary #education #comic #myasldictionary

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THE BIRDS

During the Autumn Equinox, it’s common to see the sky filled with flocks of birds migrating to warmer temperatures.
My ASL Dictionary’s cartoon of a Falconer showing the ASL hand sign for BIRD.
The letter G on the side of the mouth opens and closes the index finger and thumb like a tweeting bird’s beak.

#ASL #americansignlanguage #signlanguage #bird #comic #falconer #cartoon #education #dictionary #myasldictionary

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STAR STRUCK

Celestial bodies of plasma, light-years away, are seen in the Earth’s sky as pinholes in the curtain of night, the compass for Sailors and inspiration for Fairy tale stories.
My ASL Dictionary’s cartoon of a Princess and a smitten Frog Prince illustrating the ASL hand sign for STAR.
Later, after the hand sign for STAR, the Frog Prince adds the sign for STUDY to make the ASL hand for ASTRONOMY.

Brush index fingers up against each other twice, pointing up to the stars in the sky. The fingers of the open 5 hand wriggle above the open palm, eyes studying the page.

#asl #americansignlanguage #signlanguage #star #astronomy #princess #frog #cartoon #dictionary #comic #education #myasldictionary

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HAPPY AUTUMN SOLSTICE

To celebrate this week, My ASL Dictionary’s cartoon Lumberjack illustrates the ASL hand sign for AUTUMN and FALL on the Author’s Website homepage, myasldictionary.com.

The movement of his hand mimics the falling of the autumn leaves.

#asl #americansignlanguage #signglanguage #autumnsolstice #fall #comic #education #cartoon #myasldictionary

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SUNSHINE

The Brightest Star in the Solar System, this glowing orb’s powerful gravity keeps the planets in their orbits, its warmth and light essential for life on Earth.
As the Day starts with the sun rising in the sky, My ASL Dictionary’s cartoon of a senior man still in his striped pyjamas shows the ASL hand sign for SUN.

Circle flattened O hand once, then bring it downward to open into a 5 hand, like shining a ray of light from the sun.

#ASL #americansignlanguage #signlanguage #sun #sunny #cartoon #dictionary #comic #myasldictionary

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MOON LIGHT

A constant in Earth’s orbit, this natural satellite reflects the sun to shine in the night sky. Its gravitational pull affects the tide, the climate, the planet’s axial tilt, and the mood.

My ASL Dictionary’s cartoon of a Moonbase Alpha crew member (Space 1999) illustrates ASL hand signs for MOON.

Modified C hand touches the temple to pull forward.
                                         OR
The thumb of the Modified C hand taps the side of the forehead twice.

#asl #americansignlanguage #signlanguage #moon #cartoon #dictionary #comic #space1999 #myasldictionary

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GONE WITH THE WIND

Visible for the elements it pushes, the blowing current of Air in the Sky found in a Light Gale or a Raging Storm.
My ASL Dictionary’s cartoon of a Weatherman in a Storm Shirt with a yellow umbrella showing the ASL hand sign for WIND.

Open 5 hands make a waving motion back and forth in front of the body, the action of wind blowing.

#ASL #americansignlanguage #signlanguage #comic #wind #cartoon #weatherman #dictionary #education #myasldictionary

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SNOW BLANKET

Considered unlucky to mention before it falls, these small white crystals of water vapor float down from the sky as the temperature drops.

My ASL Dictionary’s updated cartoon of an Arctic Empress with a Crown of Ice Crystals illustrates the ASL hand sign for SNOW.

The Raised Hands slowly lower down as the fingertips flutter like beautiful snowflakes of falling Snow. Similar to RAIN hand sign, the hand movement can change to mimic the precipitation, from a slow and gentle fall to a sideways flurry or blizzard.

#ASL #americansignlanguage #signlanguage #snow #cartoon #dictionary #comic #myasldictionary

First posted January 6, 2024

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RAIN FALL

While it’s rare to see a Rainbow, we’ve all experienced getting caught in a downpour of precipitation from the sky.
A reminder of the November night I waited an hour in the rain after a cancelled ASL class, my ASL Dictionary’s cartoon of myself in a drenched Autumn coat shows the ASL hand sign for RAIN.

Both 5 hands move downward in front of the shoulders twice. The fingertips mimicking the falling raindrops.

#ASL #americansignlanguage #signlanguage #rain #cartoon #dictionary #comic #myasldictionary

Previously posted July 06, 2023