To find a meaning of the ASL sign, identify three major paramaters: handshape, location and movement of the ASL sign and its two-handed type to find an English equivalent in this reverse dictionary.

** This is a pilot / ongoing development. It is subject to revisions or adjustments. Not all words have been updated for this reverse dictionary. If you cannot find, email me for help and/or suggestion.**

How to use ASL -> English search

Use a formal citation of the ASL word/sign. Select a prime of each parameter plus a handed type and search for the ASL sign.

Handshape prime

Pick a handshape of the ASL word based on the dominant hand , regardless of the one-handed or two-handed production.

Example: pick "10-num" (handshape), repeated (movement), head-side or face (location). The result will show you a few possible signs close to EVERYDAY.

Movement prime

Pick a movement of the dominant hand regardless of one-handed or two-handed.

Handspeak uses two more generic movement primes: "reduplicated" (repeated) and unidirectional (non-repeated) for now.

To identify what this ASL sign is, select "1-num" (handshape), repeated (movement), palm (location), and two-handed alternating.

To find out what this means, select "10-s" (handshape), unidirectional (movement) or maybe circular, "10-s" (location), and two-handed mirror.

Location prime

Pick a location of the base part of body (e.g. non-dominant hand if not a specific handshape, head including neck, torso, and arm including elbow.) where the dominant hand makes either contact with or close contact with.

If an ASL word has its mulitple locations in one production, try (not always) the initial location of the production and try the destination of the location.

If one or two hands are not in contact or near contact, use "neutral space". If the dominant hand is in contact (or close contact) with the base hand other than a specific handshape or palm, use "hand" (any handshape).

This sign "DO-IT-YOURSELF" uses neutral space (location) and "10" handshape. Select "one-handed" for a handed type.

Select "2" handshape, "unidirectional" movement, "1" handshape (location), and one-handed.

More examples

If the ASL sign you saw, here is how you would select the parameters and its handed type.

Select "3-close" for handshape, "repeat" for movement, "hand" for location, and "mirror" or two-handed symmetry. Sometimes there is a phonological variation (e.g. "U or H" handshape in RABBIT" so select another handshape to try.

Select "9-num" for handshape, "unidir" for movement, "9-num" for location, and "alternating" for handed. You will get "INFER". If "repeat" for movement, you will get "INTERPRET" as in "translate" and "INTERPRETER" in search result.