American Sign Language: "play" The word "play" has several different signs depending on what you mean. If you mean play as in an "act" or a "drama," see: See: THEATER / act / play / drama If you mean "play" as in "playing around" then you can use the version of this sign that shakes "Y" handshapes. PLAY (as in "play time," "playing,") PLAYER: To sign "player" simply add the "PERSON / AGENT" sign to the sign PLAY. PARTY: The sign PLAY happens to be one of the versions of the sign for "party." There are four common ways to sign "party." The point I want to make here though is that you should NOT initialize the sign play with a "P" hand. See: PARTY Notes: I've observed quite a few educators of Deaf children using an initialized form of PLAY (with a "T" handshape) for the sign "TOYS." Which is to say, some of them do the sign for "toys" by signing "play" using "T" handshapes. I don't really think that is such a good idea. To me it looks sort of like "double bathroom" or something. In context, the "Y" handshape version of the sign PLAY can be used to mean "toys" but I and most of my associates just spell "T-O-Y-S." 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: "play"

The word "play" has several different signs depending on what you mean.
If you mean play as in an "act" or a "drama," see: See: THEATER / act / play / drama

If you mean "play" as in "playing around" then you can use the version of this sign that shakes "Y" handshapes.

PLAY (as in "play time," "playing,")

PLAYER: To sign "player" simply add the "PERSON / AGENT" sign to the sign PLAY.

PARTY: The sign PLAY happens to be one of the versions of the sign for "party." There are four common ways to sign "party." The point I want to make here though is that you should NOT initialize the sign play with a "P" hand.
See: PARTY

Notes:
I've observed quite a few educators of Deaf children using an initialized form of PLAY (with a "T" handshape) for the sign "TOYS." Which is to say, some of them do the sign for "toys" by signing "play" using "T" handshapes. I don't really think that is such a good idea. To me it looks sort of like "double bathroom" or something.

In context, the "Y" handshape version of the sign PLAY can be used to mean "toys" but I and most of my associates just spell "T-O-Y-S."

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!