FINISH-TOUCH


(On YouTube at:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bCNKNO17nQ )

FINISH-TOUCH:

FINISH-TOUCH is an idiomatic, lexicalized compound sign meaning "to have been to," "to have visited," or "to have experienced a place."
This sign is a smooth blend of two distinct parts that melt into a single, continuous movement.  ("Lexicalized compound" here means that the two signs have over time become thought of as a single word-like concept in ASL.)

Part 1: FINISH
Handshape: Loose, open "5" handshapes on both hands (or reduced to just the dominant hand).

Location: In front of the chest, slightly lower than shoulder level.

Orientation: Palms face inward toward the chest at the very start, then quickly rotate outward to face the viewer.

Movement: A brief, flicking outward twist of the forearms.  Because this is a compound, the sign FINISH which is sometimes done using a double twist is reduced to a single quick flick (rather than a full, large  emphatic movement to show definite finality) (nor a  double shake).  For this compound sign FINISH uses  it is a single,  quick flick that transitions smoothly into into the next sign.

Part 2: TOUCH
Handshape: The dominant hand shifts instantly into (what some people call) an open "8" handshape (but which is perhaps more accurately an evolved 25-hand handshape).  The fingers are spread with the middle finger bent slightly forward from the large knuckle.

The non-dominant hand forms a flat "B" handshape (or a relaxed, flat surface), acting as the base.
Location: The non-dominant hand rests horizontally in the neutral signing space in front of the torso.  The dominant hand moves toward it.

Orientation: The dominant palm faces generally downward but more specifically toward the non-dominant hand. The non-dominant palm faces downward -- acting as a passive tabletop surface).

Movement: The extended middle finger of the dominant "8" hand moves downward to make a light, single contact (a "touch") on the back of the passive non-dominant hand.The Compound Fluidity (Putting it Together)To sign FINISH-TOUCH as a single vocabulary item, the hands smoothly transition from the outward wrist-flick of "FINISH" directly into the downward contact of "TOUCH." There is zero pause or reset between the two elements. The facial grammar typically involves a slight nod or an "affirmative" expression depending on the context of the sentence.
 

https://www.lifeprint.com/asl101/gifs/f/finish-touch.gif


Non-Manual Marker (Facial Expression):
A common facial expression for the sign FINISH is to form your mouth as if saying the word "FISH."  It is fairly common to see the FISH mouth shape applied to the FINISH-TOUCH sign as well.

Also see:
FINISH
TOUCH


[SIGN]: starting position [SIGN]: ending position

Example sentences:

I've been to Japan!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VA-Ky6a5l0w
Have you been to an island? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLcaxqpnhEs

Notes: