American Sign Language: "basket" The sign for "basket" uses "C" handshapes. The "C" handshapes in this sign are functioning as "classifiers" or what might be written as "C:CL" or "CL:C." What it is classifying is a whole range of large cylindrical objects like telephone poles, garbage cans, or (in my home) laundry baskets. We use tall round laundry baskets for dirty clothes and the shorter/wider baskets for clean clothes. Note: The "typical" sign for basket would use slightly curved "B" palms (with the thumbs alongside rather than across the palm), to show the shape of the basket--starting from the bottom center to the top sides. Large, tall, cylindrical object: You can adjust the size of your basket. Here I'm showing a somewhat larger "hamper." Also, I'm sitting down as I sign this so the sign seems higher than if I were signing while standing up: Student: Does the default meaning for the sign "basket" tend to be "garbage"? If I wanted to sign "basket", would people first assume I meant "garbage"? Or is this one of those matters-of-context? Dr. Bill: No. I don't use basket for garbage. I might use the basket/cylinder sign after the sign garbage to mean "garbage CAN." GARBAGE has its own sign. Dr. Bill's new iPhone "Fingerspelling Practice" app is available now for just 99 cents! GET IT HERE! NEW! Online "ASL Training Center!" (Premium Subscription Version of ASLU) CHECK IT OUT Also available: "ASLUniversity.com" (a mirror of Lifeprint.com less traffic, fast access) VISIT NOW Want to help support Lifeprint / ASLU? It's easy! You can learn sign language (ASL) online at American Sign Language University ™ Lifeprint.com © Dr. William Vicars

American Sign Language: "basket"

The sign for "basket" uses "C" handshapes. The "C" handshapes in this sign are functioning as "classifiers" or what might be written as "C:CL" or "CL:C." What it is classifying is a whole range of large cylindrical objects like telephone poles, garbage cans, or (in my home) laundry baskets. We use tall round laundry baskets for dirty clothes and the shorter/wider baskets for clean clothes.

Note: The "typical" sign for basket would use slightly curved "B" palms (with the thumbs alongside rather than across the palm), to show the shape of the basket--starting from the bottom center to the top sides.

Large, tall, cylindrical object:

You can adjust the size of your basket. Here I'm showing a somewhat larger "hamper." Also, I'm sitting down as I sign this so the sign seems higher than if I were signing while standing up:

Student: Does the default meaning for the sign "basket" tend to be "garbage"? If I wanted to sign "basket", would people first assume I meant "garbage"? Or is this one of those matters-of-context?

Dr. Bill: No. I don't use basket for garbage. I might use the basket/cylinder sign after the sign garbage to mean "garbage CAN." GARBAGE has its own sign.

Dr. Bill's new iPhone "Fingerspelling Practice" app is available now for just 99 cents! GET IT HERE!

NEW! Online "ASL Training Center!" (Premium Subscription Version of ASLU) ** CHECK IT OUT **

Also available: "ASLUniversity.com" (a mirror of Lifeprint.com less traffic, fast access) ** VISIT NOW **

Want to help support Lifeprint / ASLU? It's easy!