SIGNS DONE WITH Y HAND SHAPES
By: Lyn J. Wiley



The following signs use Y hand shapes only.


Signs that use a Y hand shape in conjunction with another hand shape are not included on this list. Therefore, signs such as "YouTube,' 'New York,' 'To bully someone,' 'California' 'Cuss; Curse' etc. are not included.


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Yukon. Right Y hand shape Palm faces left, hold it at left cheek; tip of thumb is about jaw-level. Slide it up over forehead and down the right side of the head, to right cheek (thumb tip is at about jaw-level). Palm faces left for entire sign.


Buffalo (the animal). Right Y hand pressed at forehead, palm faces forehead (little finger and thumb represent the horns).


Buffalo, New York. Right Y hand shape at right side of forehead, palm faces at slight angle to the left; twist the hand to the left, two times (See: Signing Savvy).


Gullible. Naive. Easily led; Easily Swayed; Likely to believe anything. Right Y hand pressed at forehead, palm faces out. Flap middle- index- and ring-fingers two times. This sign is sometimes done without flapping the fingers (See: Handspeak, Jolanta Lapiak)


Cow; Cattle. Right Y hand shape; tip of thumb touches right temple, palm faces out. Twist hand to the left, two times (See: ASL University, Dr. Bill Vicars)


Longhorn (type of cattle)


Bull


Lock horns; Locked horns. A stalemate. Two people engaged in an argument ('locked into' an argument) and each one unwilling to yield to the other. Contentious. Left Y hand shape faces you, knuckles point to the right, hand is bent at the wrist, hold hand stationary. Right Y hand shape, palm faces down, knuckles point toward the knuckles of the left hand; press knuckles together (one time). Then, twist hands simultaneously, one time, so thumbs and little fingers 'lock in place.' (See: ASL University, Dr. Bill Vicars).


To butt heads. This sign can be done with S hand shapes or with Y hand shapes. Y hand shapes palms face you, thumbs point up. Hands are bent at wrists - - bounce hands together, two times (the finger sections between the middle and base joints are what bounce together). The same is true if you use S hand shapes - the finger sections between the middle and base joins are what bounce together).


Yin-Yang (See: Handspeak, Jolanta Lapiak)


Takes/Took a long time. Felt as if it took forever; It took forever! It's taking forever! Y hand shape held at right side of forehead, tip of thumb touches (or almost touches) right temple; the palm faces out. Move hand, s-l-o-w-l-y (one time) off to the right.


Hangover. The unpleasant after-effects of alcohol. Like the sign for 'took forever,' however this sign starts with Y hand shape at right side of the mouth, palm faces out - - and moves to the right, one time. (See: Handspeak, Jolanta Lapiak)


Yellow


Eyesore; Unpleasant to look at. Ugly to the eye. Right Y hand shape, tip of thumb touches (or almost touches) just under the right eye; palm faces at slight angle to the left and little finger points up. Holding thumb in place, twist hand (one time) so little finger points left. (See: Handspeak, Jolanta Lapiak)


Regret; I regret; Regretful. Like the sign for 'eyesore' however the sign for 'regret' starts with the thumb tip of the Y hand shape touching the chin; hold thumb in place; twist hand to the left one time so little finger points down. (See: Handspeak, Jolanta Lapiak).


Regret; I regret etc. Right Y hand shape palm faces chin; twist hand to the left, two times (See; Signing Savvy).


Architecture. Using Y hand shapes, sign: 'building' (noun).


Syrup. Y hand shape, palm faces out, tilt hand to the left, one time.


Dutch. Right Y hand shape palm faces left, tip of thumb points to bridge of nose; move hand in one forward slightly upward arc. Or, you could say - tilt hand one time so tip of thumb points to tip of nose.


Silly; Frivolous; Ridiculous. Nonsensical. Hold Right Y hand shape in front of nose, palm faces left; twist hand to the left quickly, 2 or 3 times. Or you could say: shake hand back and forth.


Telephone


Phone's ringing


Answer the phone


Hang up the phone


I'll call you.


Call me?


To call around; I'll call around.


Yesterday. This can be signed with an A hand shape or, as it can be done as an initialized sign that uses a Y hand shape.


Wrong; Incorrect; Inaccurate; Defect; Defective; Mistake; Something's wrong with this; Something's wrong here.


My fault; My mistake; Mia culpa. Sign: my, mistake (wrong).


Oops!


Unexpected; Unexpectedly; Accidental; It was an accident; Unintentional. Unplanned.


I wasn't expecting that!


That (when referring to a present referent); Palm of Y hand shape faces the item you are talking about; move hand toward that item one time.


Whale. Left arm bent across chest; hold it stationary. Right arm bent across chest and at an upward angle - Y hand shape with palm facing left. using an arm and wrist action move right hand in an up-and-down wavy motion, to the right.


Big yawn. Left Y hand shape faces up and is held stationary. Right Y hand shape faces down and rests on top of left hand. Holding left hand in place, move right hand in one slightly upward, clockwise circle that comes back to rest on top of the left hand.


Measure. Measurement. Y hands palms face down knuckles point out, tips of thumbs touch; hold thumb tips in place and twist hands in opposite directions, two times. This sign is sometimes used to mean architecture.


Measure. To take a lengthwise measurement. Y hand shapes. palms face down, knuckles point out, tips of thumbs touch. Hold Left hand in place, move Right hand to the right, one time.


Measurement. Measure. Y hand shapes, palms face down, knuckles point out; tap thumb tips together two times


Measurement; Size; What size? What is the measurement? Y hand shapes, palms face down or face out. Tap tips of thumbs together, two times.


Watermelon. Y hand shapes, palms held in front of face (mouth level); tips of little fingers touch. Holding hands in place, 'swing' hands to the left (in a slight upward arc) then to the right (in a slight upward arc), then back to the left. BILL and JOLANTA - have you seen this sign used? I saw it used often when I lived in Tennessee but have not seen it used in the Pacific Northwest.


Pipe (one used to smoke); To smoke a pipe.


Award. Y hands face you, tips of little fingers and thumbs touch; holding hands in place, move them out (away from your body) one time as if you were setting a trophy on a table.


Fat; Chubby or Obese animal. Y hand shapes, palms sort of face you. Right hand slightly ahead of the left hand. Move hands forward, simultaneously, and 'waddle' (tilt hands to the right, then tilt to the left, then tilt back to the right) as hands mov forward


Same; Same-as; Similar to; Analagous to; Sort of like a. Six of one and half a dozen of the other.


You and me both; Me too; Likewise; Same with me; We have that in common.


We think alike; I share your thoughts. I agree with your thinking. Sign 'you and me both,' back and forth (forehead level) between yourself and the other person.


Pattern. Y hand shapes palms face down; hold them a few inches apart. move them down one time, then move them a few inches to the right and move them down again (repeat the action one more time). This sign is sometimes done with just two movements or with as many as four movements. (See: Signing Savvy).


Standard (referring to a guideline, criterion or set of expectations) (See: Handspeak, Jolanta Lapiak)


Same ole same old; Routine; Standard procedure.


Commonplace; Ordinary. Y hands, palms face down, little fingers point out. Move hands straight down, two times.


Play; Playing; Played; Playful; Playing around; Party


Style; Stylish. JOLANTA AND BILL do you sign 'style' by moving the Y hand shape in one large gentle figure 8 motion - or not)?


Hippopotamus (See: ASL University, Dr. Bill Vicars)


Why. (See; ASL University, Dr. Bill Vicars)


Why in the world?!


Jungle. Similar to the sign for forest/woods but jungle uses a Right Y hand shape that sort of sways (in the motion of play/playing - to represent vines) as the hand or hands move to the right.


Oh, I see; Oh, now I understand.


Current; Currently; Now; At this moment; At the present time; As we speak.


Today. Right now. Sign: now, now.


Yugoslavia. Press palm of Right Y hand shape at upper left chest; move hand down to right side of waist (palm now faces the waist).


Shave.


Shave face.


Shave head.


Shave legs.


Shave under arms.






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