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ROOM: The American Sign Language (ASL) sign for "room"
The sign for "room" is the same as the sign for "box." Use flat hands to show the sides and then bent hands to show the front and back of the room or box.

ROOM (or "box" -- depending on context)





Note: The sign ROOM is based on the concept of "a box." Thus this sign can be interpreted as either "room" or "box" depending on context to make your meaning clear. 

 



There is also an initialized form of the sign ROOM that uses "R" handshapes, it is
not recommended. There is generally no need to ever initialize the the sign for "ROOM" with "R"-hands since context makes it clear what you mean.
The "R"-hands version is considered to be "Signed English."

The FLAT-hands into BENT-hands version of "room" also works better (slightly faster and easier to do) for compound signs such as: BEDROOM.

 


Sample sentence: In order for you to study, does the room have to be quiet?

 

 


If you want to convey the English idiom "elbow room" as in 'roomy / spacious / plenty of room' you would sign:

 


If you want to refer to the different 'rooms' in a person's home, typically you sign which area in the house you are referring to followed by the sign 'room:'

 

BEDROOM:

 

FAMILY ROOM:

 

LAUNDRY ROOM / WASHING MACHINE ROOM:

 

DINING ROOM:

 

FOOD ROOM / pantry:

 

The sign for "KITCHEN" has variations:

 

KITCHEN (cook version):

 

KITCHEN (initialized "K" cook 2-hand version):

 

KITCHEN (one-hand version):

 

The sign for "LIVING ROOM" is produced without the sign "ROOM" at the end:

 

 

If you want to convey the concept of "DRESSING ROOM:"

 

 


NOTES:

Question:
For the sign "room" -- can you show the front and back walls first and then the sides of the room?

Answer:
Great question!
The sign for "room" can be and is signed either way:
1. sides then front/back
2. front/back then sides

I personally lean toward showing the sides first and the front/back second. I think that version just "feels" better and may have a slight edge in "published" curricula -- but both versions of "box" or "room" are so common that I would caution ASL teachers to not mark it wrong if a student does the back/front first and the sides second.

If someone wants to argue this and wants to bet money against either version I'll take the bet and stipulate that to win it I have to provide a dozen existing published video examples of Deaf or hard of hearing skilled signers doing the sign whichever way.

It would be a suckers bet since both versions are so common.

 

Notes: 

Also see: BOX

Also see: OFFICE




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