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American Sign Language: "FEEL-LIKE"

Also see: FEEL
Also see: SAME
 

In a message dated 8/2/2016 12:13:19 A.M. Malay Peninsula Standard Time: "Fred" writes:
Good Morning Dr. Vicars,

I have been wondering if I can modify the "LOOK LIKE" sign combo to "FEEL LIKE" by using the sign for "FEEL" and then adding the upright "Y HAND" and shaking it side to side.  Would that make sense?  
 
The reason I ask is because I am practicing signing one of my favorite songs and the first line is "Sometimes I feel like I don't have a partner".  It occurred to me that the "SAME" sign doesn't quite fit into that context.  
I hope you are having a good summer.
 
Thank you,
Fred

------------------------------------------------

Hello Fred!
Yes, indeed the production of the compound sign "FEEL-LIKE" works similar to "LOOK-LIKE."
You just sign FEEL using a single upward movement on the dominant-side of your chest and transition immediately into the side-to-side version of SAME (using a "Y" handshape).
Now, in your situation in which you want to sign: "Sometimes I feel like I don't have a partner" -- the word "like" could be extraneous. If you are not trying to emphasize a comparison of one feeling to some other feeling. Perhaps in your situation the English could be modified to state, "I feel that..." instead of "like." If so -- the word "like" in your situation is extraneous it could be dropped from the interpretation.
Or keep it.
You might be trying to emphasize that you have a partner but it feels like you don't.
Seems to me it works either way as long as you do the "like"-(SAME) movement relatively small (at least for a song). If you do the movement "large" and use too much of a pause on each end of the side to side movement the sign SAME will definitely set up a comparison which is not your goal for the concept you are trying to express.
Take care,
- Dr. Bill

 
 


 

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