American Sign Language: "depend"
/ "depends" / "depend on" / "count on" / "contingent upon"
DEPEND-ON / rely on / count on:
The single movement tends to function as a transitive verb or verb
phrase such as "depend on" or "rely on." By "transitive verb" what I mean
is you tend to also need an object. For example, "I/ME CAN DEPEND HIM/HER" (I
can depend on him.)
You will also see this sign done with a double movement and start taking on
meanings more along the lines of "it depends," "depending on," or "that
depends." Example:
Signer A: YOU GO PARTY YOU?
Signer B: DEPENDS. I/ME MAYBE START NEW JOB. (It depends. I might be
starting a new job.)
DEPENDS / it depends / depending on
Notes:
In advanced signing if a signer has established an absent referent off to the
side (for example you have identified "Bob" and he is represented by pointing
off to the signer's right) the signer can do the sign "depend on" a bit off to
his or her right-side and it would mean "depend on Bob." I don't see this
done very often and would generally not try to make this sign "directional."
However it can be done.
Also see "count on."
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