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ASSOCIATE: The American Sign Language (ASL) sign for "associate / socialize / association"
 

The sign for ASSOCIATE can be produced by utilizing the "open-A" handshape or the "5" handshape.

Depending on the handshape, the thumbs or the fingers circle around each other. (The thumbs are pointed upward and downward.)

 

ASSOCIATE / SOCIALIZE / EACH OTHER / ONE ANOTHER / HANG OUT-[open-A-hand-version]:

 

 

INTERACTION-[socialize / social / mingle]-[5-hand-version]:

 


 

 

Sample sentence: YOUR ASL TEACHER ENCOURAGE YOU ASSOCIATE-socialize DEAF? (Does your ASL teacher encourage you to socialize with Deaf people?)

 

 

 

If you want to convey the concept of ASSOCIATE DEAN, you can sign:

 

 

or fingerspell D-E-A-N

 

 

ASSOCIATION can be conveyed by signing ASSOCIATE,

 

ASSOCIATION-[A-hand-version-of-GROUP],

 

 

ASSOCIATION-[RELATE-to]

 

 

 

Question: What is the difference in meaning between the loose-5-hands version of socialize and the open-A-hands version of socialized?

Response:
The loose hands version by virtue of the use of more fingers tends to mean more along the lines of social gatherings and mingling.
The open-A hands version tends to mean interact with, associate, interaction, etc. It can mean socialize as well.
So the two signs overlap quite a bit however the loose hands version would not fit as well if it is just "one" person is hanging out with "one" other person. So the open-A's version is a bit more flexible and has more meanings but would be slightly less fitting for a large social gathering with lots of general mingling.
https://youtu.be/5uPwZ-cRPWQ

Notes: 

See: SOCIALIZE

GROUP

RELATE

FRIEND

JOIN


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