SUBWAY: The
American Sign Language (ASL) sign for "subway"
To sign "subway," slide the "Y" hand back and forward underneath the "flat" hand as if showing a
subway car moving underground. Note: This version also works well to refer
to "Subway" sandwich shops.
SUBWAY:
Sample sentence: YOUR CITY HAVE SUBWAY? (Is there a subway in your city?)
SUBWAY (version 2)
SUBWAY (version 3) (NOT recommended)
An associate writes:
QUESTION:
Is there a logical reason that 'subway' is signed with a dominant Y hand
shape instead of a 3 hand shape that is used to sign many other vehicles and
the activity of vehicles?
Perhaps subway uses a Y hand shape because the term 'subway' refers to
a full transportation 'system' (not a particular vehicle)? Train and
airplane do not use the 3 hand shape either.
REPLY:
Here are my thoughts:
1. The "Y" handshape is associated with things that are long, extended, or distended: BIG-WORD, HIPPOPOTAMUS-[Y-hand-version], and OBESE-PERSON-WADDLING. Subways are "long."
2. Garages have ceilings. To sign GARAGE we show a car driving under a ceiling (with a double movement). That movement is forward, back, forward. Generally when showing movement we do so either "forward and back" or "side-to-side." Since the forward and back movement under a ceiling (surface) movement has already been used for GARAGE, That leaves us with a side to side movement available to use for SUBWAY.
Subway tracks and train tracks can accommodate movement in either direction. It would be awkward to use a 3-handshape in a side-to-side movement to show the orientation of the train. The "vehicle" classifier indicates a front of the vehicle and back of the vehicle. The Y-handshape classifier does not. We cannot say that the thumb is the front and the pinkie is the back. Thus the Y-hand is free to move side to side while at the same time representing the concept of forward and backward movement of a subway.
Regarding the sign for "train." While the basic TRAIN sign uses "H" hands -- if you decide to show how that train is positioned or moving you can indeed use a "classifier 3" handshape for the locomotive (engine) car of the train. Non-engine cars are typically shown via a classifier-C or a flat-hand.
- Dr. Bill
A Youtube commenter, Esther Burridge, commented: "Subway was taught to me differently here, Montréal, a city with one. It's a flat b (straight closed flat hand) going under the left hand, perpendicular." (1/18/2019)
Notes:
See: CITY
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