ASL Classifiers

ASL lesson about classifiers, the different types, and the different handshapes

What are descriptive classifiers?

Used to describe the way something looks, it’s size, shape, and pattern

What are instrumental classifiers?

Tells us how something is used

What are plural classifiers?

Tells a general quantity of people or objects, ex: ton, few, some

What are environmental classifiers?

Shows how elements move, ex: weather

What are locative classifiers?

Like prepositions in English, they show how objects relate to each other in space so that there is no need for signs for words like: on, over, off

What are body classifiers?

Represents the whole body of a human or animal, only BCL doesn’t move

What are body part classifiers?

Used to isolate a part of the body of a human or animal such as the head, arms, or legs

What are semantic classifiers?

Used to show how something moves

What is a classifier?

A handshape with no meaning by themselves, represents a noun or a verb, must the identify classifier first before using it

What is a CL: 1 classifier?

Single person walking

slim objects: pencil, stick

One way/two-way street

Object flying

Object outlining

What is a CL: 3 classifier?

Vehicles and its movement: car/bus, drive, accident

3 people walking

Feet walking

What is a CL: A Open classifier?

Represents objects: house, lamp

Location of people/objects in relation to placement: beside, above, across

What is a CL: B Bent classifier?

Smooth, flat surfaces: road, landscape, shelf, height of object

What is a CL: C classifier?

Large cylinder objects: pole, pipe, tree trunk, tunnel, bowl, row of things

Measurement: amount of snow, stack of papers, cup size

What is a CL: C Claw?

Clusters in a location: stars, rash, flowers, crowds of people, group of people in a vehicle

Action: plant withered, movement of smoke or clouds

Description: curly hair, pile of laundry

What is CL: C modified classifier?

Small, flat, round objects: food, plate sizes, bottle, pin

Large object shape: thin pole

What is CL: F classifier?

Small, thin, round objects

Coin, button, dots

Cylinder shapes (thin): rod, tube, pole, handle

Eyes: gaze/movements

What is a CL: G classifier?

Small sizes, shapes, or amounts

Thin shapes: hair

Objects: frame, stack of paper, shallow water, thin layer, S/M/L

Eyes: blink, squint

What is a CL: V classifier?

Person/people/animals: walk, lay down, stand, fall

Legs: together, apart, kick

Eyes: looking

Scissors 

What is a CL: V Bent classifier?

Person/animal: sit, squat, run, climb, jump

Chairs in circle, rows

Object pulled (car towed/bow)

What is CL: X?

Person/animal: run. sulk, bent 

Legs: crossed, prompted up

Digging

Scar Hooks