Month: January 2026

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SNOW DAY

The disruptions caused by the record-breaking Snowstorms of the January 24-25 weekend are still being felt across Canada, with unpassable streets, cancelled flights, and school closures. While Snow Days are celebrated by children as a joyful holiday break from School, it can be disheartening for other students looking forward to their next class at the University of Guelph ASL Club.
 
While waiting for the snow to be cleared, My ASL Dictionary’s cartoon of a Smiling Ice Queen illustrates the ASL hand signs for SNOW DAY.
 
SNOW
The Raised Hands slowly lower down as the fingertips flutter like beautiful snowflakes of falling Snow.
DAY
The Index finger arcs down onto the back of the opposite flat hand, like the arc of the sun in a day.
 
#ASL #americansignlanguage #signlanguage #snow #snowday #day #education #cartoon #guelphaslclub #myasldictionary
 
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A STONE’S THROW

From skipping stones to catapults, a common event in many Sports is also the tossing of objects. The Olympic Games include the Shot Put, Discus, Javelin, Hammer Throw, and the object throwing in Basketball, Volleyball, Hockey, Golf, and Rugby.
 
A cartoon of a female athlete with curly hair and her fancy pink top with changing micro-patterns illustrates various ASL hand signs for THROW.
 
Closed S hand or Contracted 5 hand thrusts forward and opens, as if letting go of the object being thrown.
 
#ASL #americansignlanguage #signlanguage #throw #cartoon #myasldictionary
This ASL art was inspired by my friend Stasia Van Buskirk, who inspired me to learn this ASL hand sign in 2021 by asking how to sign Axe Throwing.
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BICYCLE RACE

Five times more efficient than walking, The Bicycle is a popular tool for exercise, recreation, sport, and transportation.
Cycling as a sports competition began in 1868 with a 1,200 metre race in Paris and continued as a competition for the Modern Olympics in Athens in 1896. Another Event for the Schlegel Winter Olympics is the Triathlon, this year a mix of Shooting, Slalom and a Run with the Nustep bike.

My ASL Dictionary’s cartoon of a young Gentleman Racer shows the ASL hand sign for BICYCLE, the silhouettes of bicycle history revealing the word in English.

Both S hands move up and down in alternating circles, like the pedals on a bike.

#ASL #americansignlanguage #signlanguage #bicycle #bike #cartoon #schlegelolympics #myasldictionary

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HAND GUN

From China’s Fire Lance in the 10th century,
a Gun is a weapon incorporating a metal tube from which bullets, or other missiles, are propelled by an explosive force. More than just a weapon of destruction, guns are also used for sports and games, with toys using water, firecrackers or Nerf pellets for ammunition.
Shooting Sports have been included in the Olympics since 1896. For the Schlegel Winter Olympics, Today’s Resident Athletes will be stepping up to take their shot with a Nerf Gun at the balanced cups for the Shooting Competition.

As any gun can be dangerous, I referred to the weapon without physical projectiles. A cartoon of a young girl wearing a LaserTag Vest shows two ASL hand signs for GUN.

The L shape is held horizontally in front of the chest (index and middle finger mimicking the gun barrel). The thumb is bent and straightened on the index finger repeatedly, like cocking the hammer of a gun.

The L hand is held horizontally in front of the chest as the thumb is bent and straightened on the index finger, like cocking the hammer of a gun.

#ASL #americansignlanguage #signlanguage #gun #cartoon #dictionary #shooting #schlegelvillage #myasldictionary

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A TASTE OF ITALY

This February, Italy will be centre stage for the 2026 Winter Olympics.
This Southern European country has a rich blend of Ancient History, Renaissance Art, Stunning Landscapes, and World-renowned Cuisine. The country’s sign language is Lingua dei Segni Italiana, LIS.

In LIS and ASL, there are multiple signs for Italy. My ASL Dictionary has two.
A Cartoon of Tenor Luciano Pavarotti in a black tux shows an older ASL hand sign for ITALY.
The I hand moves down and across the forehead.
OR
A cartoon of a well-off Businessman shows the newer hand sign for ITALY that was adopted from Italian Sign Language, LIS.
The L hand, with the bent index finger (shape of an Italian boot), moves down and across the body to trace the boot shape of the country’s form.
 
The animation continues with these two characters showing more updated versions of these hand signs.
Tenor Pavarotti, with an Italian cross silhouette on the flag of Italy,
traces the I hand traces a cross on the forehead. A reflection of Italy’s Catholic History.
OR
The young businessman, a picture of Italy beside him, takes the L hand with the bent index finger, and moves it down and across to trace the peninsula’s boot-shaped form.
 
#ASL #americansignlanguage #signlanguage #cartoon #dictionary #italy #LIS #linguadeisegniitaliana #comic #myasldictionary
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TAKING THE TRAIN

Invented 80 years before the Car, Trains carry both passengers and goods in connected train cars moving as a unit across metal tracks.
My ASL Dictionary’s cartoon of a grey-haired train conductor in uniform illustrates the ASL hand sign for TRAIN.

The fingers of the H hand are rubbed back and forth over the fingers of the opposite H hand, a visual for the crossties of the railroad track.

#ASL #americansignlanguage #signlanguage #train #cartoon #railroad #comic #education #myasldictionary

Coincidentally, the word ” Train ” in English can mean exercising and preparing for a sport or event, while the ASL hand sign TRAIN has the same movement as PRACTICE.

Coincidentally, the word TRAIN  in English can mean exercising and preparing for a sport or event, while the ASL hand sign TRAIN has the same movement as PRACTICE.

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IRISH ISLES

Ireland, the Emerald Isle, is famous for its stunning green landscapes, rich history, iconic landmarks, friendly people, celebrated drinks, and folklore (shamrocks and leprechauns). Ireland has Irish Sign Language, Teanga Chomharthaíochta na hÉireann (ISL), while Northern Ireland uses ISL and British Sign Language (BSL).

My ASL Dictionary displays two hand signs for Ireland.
A cartoon of an Irish Lass dressed in a Green Festival Dress with a Shamrock hat illustrates the ASL hand sign for IRELAND.
The Bent V hand circled clockwise and then brought down so the fingers tap the back of the opposite hand once.
Similar to the ASL hand sign for NATION.

A cartoon of a proud Irish Soldier shows the ASL hand sign for IRELAND, borrowed from Irish Sign Language, ISL.
The flat hand on the forehead, palm down, flips up to show the palm up twice, like a salute or tipping of the hat in salutation or respect.

#ASL #americansignlanguage #signlanguage #irishsignlanguage #cartoon #Ireland #myasldictionary

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SCOTLAND THE BRAVE

The Northern Part of Great Britain is the Land of the Scots. Famous for its dramatic landscapes, epic castles, kilts, tartans, bagpipes, the Loch Ness Monster, and Robbie Burns.
Robbie Burns Day (Burns Night) honours the life and influential work of Scotland’s national poet, Robbie Burns, on his birthday, January 25th, with traditional Scottish foods, whiskey, poetry readings, music, and toasts.
Cheers, Good Health, Slàinte Mhath!

Representing the north of the border, the land of the brave, My ASL Dictionary’s updated cartoon of a young woman in full Scottish dress shows the ASL hand sign for SCOTLAND.

The fingertips of the 4 hand trace down the arms’ triceps and then across, like the plaid pattern on a Scottish tartan.

Scotland uses British Sign Language. In BSL, the hand sign for Scotland is the elbow held to the side, making two small movements towards the body, a motion similar to squeezing a Scottish bagpipe.

#ASL #AmericanSignLanguage #signlanguage #britishsignlanguage #scotland #tartan #cartoon #dictionary #myasldictionary

*This post also corrects the illustration and error in the Dictionary’s directions for SCOTLAND, which incorrectly states to drag the 4 HS across the chest.

First posted SLAINTE MHATH!
January 25, 2024

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LISTEN UP

Hearing is the Sense of perceiving Sound, but even more important is listening, the focused skill of paying attention and understanding the message. For both the Deaf and the Hearing World, Listening is essential to Communication and Connection.
My cartoon of a Deaf Cub Reporter dressed in black with her Mobile Phone shows two ASL hand signs for LISTEN.

The Thumb of the THREE hand at the ear as the fingers retract and relax twice, like fingers bringing the sound to the ear or the visual of two eyes taking in new information.

A hand sign that is also used for HEAR. Similar to the hand sign for EAVESDROP.

OR

The index finger taps the ear twice, a gesture to listen up.

#ASL #americansignlanguage #signlanguage #listen #listening #hearing #cartoon #reporter #myasldictionary

First Posted June 24. 2024
ASL is constantly growing. Thanks to an informative post by Public Figure Chad Johnson, I updated the cartoon to include another ASL sign for LISTEN. The index finger taps the ear.

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HAPPY NEW YEAR

The happy smile seen on the homepage of the website this week for the Gregorian Solar Calendar’s first day of the calendar year, January 1st. A big change from the old Julian calendar, which marked it as April 1st (a change leading to April Fools’ Day). To celebrate the start of 2026, My ASL Dictionary’s 2014 cartoon of a Crash Test Dummy starts the day with a Happy New Year Greeting, the confetti and party of New Year’s Eve falling behind him.

#ASL #americansignlanguage #signlanguage #happynewyear #2026 #cartoon #myasldictionary