Note: The tip of the thumb is not jabbing into the chest. The backside of the whole thumb makes contact with the chest.
MYSELF: Thump your chest twice with the whole thumb-side of your "A"
hand.
Note: The tip of the thumb is not jabbing into the chest. The
backside of the whole thumb makes contact with the chest.
A variation of this sign is to point the knuckles at your chest. (I don't do it that way very often because it is rather uncomfortable.)
YOURSELF:
Use an "A" handshape. Double motion. Use a slight jabbing
motion. Thrust the hand toward the person you are saying "yourself" to, pull
it back and inch, and thrust it forward an inch. Here's an example of
"how about YOURSELF" (See the wh question expression?"
THEMSELVES: Use a smooth sweeping motion off to the right:
OURSELVES: Use a smooth arching motion to move the right "A" hand from the right side to the left side of the chest.
A version of the sign "himself" or the sign "itself" can be done by "hitting" the left index finger with the right "A" hand. I use this version for situations when the thing being referred to is more abstract. If I'm talking about "Bob" I'd probably just point off to the right and use an absent referent. If I'm talking about "a man" in general but not a specific man, I would use this sign:
THINK-SELF:
You can combine the signs THINK and SELF to mean: "It is up to you." "It is your decision."
Just touch the tip of your index finger to your forehead to sign THINK, and then sign "YOURSELF" in the direction of the
person you are talking to.
OPTIONAL READING
Scott (a student) asks, "Should the expression 'who-is'
be included in the description of signs related to "self"?
Answer: Good question. Yes. The sign "himself" (or
herself) can be used to indicate the English concept of "who is" or "who has."
For example, consider the sentence, "The man who has never made a mistake, has
never done much." How should we express the concept of "who has?" A way
to express this would be to use the sign "himself."
I'd sign the sentence: PERSON HIMSELF NOT-YET DO WRONG-(oopps/head-pull-back
version)-- WHY? HE INVOLVE NONE.
Or another way: PERSON HIMSELF MISTAKE NEVER, WHY?
HE DO NOTHING!
Hello Dr. Vicars,
I have a question about the use of pronouns "you" vs.
"yourself" and "he/she" vs. "himself/herself". I find
it very confusing to see sentences like "He himself
Deaf", instead of "He Deaf", or as in your lesson 35,
"Motorcyle you have?", but in another sentence
"yourself", not "you" is used when asking someone if
he wished he had a hearing aid. When should "-self" be
used and what's the difference? Thank you so much.
Suzanne Daniluk
Houston, Texas
