Signing For Dummies (52 page)

Trotting Out Signs for Transportation

Whether you just need to get around town or decide to see the world, your travel requires wheels. This section gives you just that. Consider the Signs in Table 10-5 for your free-wheeling adventures.

Bus
is fingerspelled B-S — leave out the “u.” To sign
driving a bus,
mimic a truck-size steering wheel at the lower chest level, wrap your hands around the imaginary wheel and steer back and forth. This motion also works for trucks, RVs (after you fingerspell R-V), or any large vehicle. Just fingerspell the big rig first.

Get the wheels in motion, so to speak, by using these automotive Signs.

English:
The car was in an accident.

Sign:
CAR ACCIDENT

Accident
is signed by making a 5 handshape, palms facing you, fingertips facing each other. Crash them together, ending in an S handshape.

English:
If I miss the train, I’ll fly.

Sign:
TRAIN MISS — FLY ME

English:
You need a motorcycle helmet.

Sign:
MOTORCYCLE HELMET — NEED YOU

Directing Your Sentences with Conjunctions

As you probably remember from grammar classes of long ago, conjunctions join thoughts or phrases. One of the most common conjunctions is
but,
so let us explain this one first.

In English,
but
has two different meanings. One is used as a conjunction, the other as a preposition. Sometimes, you use
but
to set a condition, as in, “You can go to the party, but you have to be home at midnight.” Other times,
but
shows an exception, as in, “Everyone can go but you.” The same is true in ASL.

To sign
but
as a conjunction (meaning that a condition is involved), put your dominant hand on the dominant side of your head and flick your index finger twice, ending with your index finger up.

To sign
but
as a preposition (meaning
except
), cross your index fingers to make an “x” and then pull them apart, ending with your two fingers extended.

The following examples show you both situations.

English:
Go to the party, but be home at midnight.

Sign:
PARTY GO — BUT HOME MIDNIGHT — MUST YOU

English:
Everyone can go but you.

Sign:
ALL GO CAN — BUT YOU NOT