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Native ASL signers tend to make their signs less stressful on their bodies by avoiding twisting their wrists or using their shoulders. This can make it harder to recognize certain signs. Some people call this "lazy signing," but such compromises are necessary when you use your arms to communicate ideas. A living language undergoes change.
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The majority of ASL words have one or both hands in front of the chest. Though any location within reach is possible to use in conversation, most words are located near the forehead, neck / chin, chest, or elbow.
_ffff W_\M __ll . [+] = know _ffff = bent-B handshape  W_\M = forehead height__ll = palm in . [+] = move hand onto body (to forehead)
 clulnn W_\Mv cfufnn __ll [+] . Z = doubt clulnn = V handshape
W_\M = forehead height W/_Mv = slightly down from height (to eyes)
 . cfufnn = change to bent-V handshape [+] = on body (close to eye)
__ll = palm in Z = repeat action (straighten then bend again)
clnnn (/^_) \l\ [+] . q< Z = mouse clnnn = 1 handshape
(_\) = neck / chin height
 (/_)^ = slightly up from height (to nose)
[+] = on body (to nose)
 \l\ = palm nondom-side . q< = move in palm facing direction (nondom-side) Z = repeat action (come back then move again) cffff (_\) \l\ [+] . q< = lie cffff = bent-B handshape (_\) = neck / chin height[+] = on body (to chin)
 \l\ = palm nondom-side . q< = move in palm facing direction (nondom-side)
_llll (_\)qv . _ffff __ll . qv = in the past _llll = open-B handshape (_\) = neck / chin height (_\)qv = slightly in from height (beside the cheek) _ffff = change handshape to bent-B __ll = palm in . qv = move in _llll \_ll\ . q<)qv = here _llll = open-B handshape (presumed chest height) \_ll\ = palm up . q<)qv = move nondom-side circling in A \fulull S \f\ . iv ZS = judge A \fulull = F handshape (presumed chest height) S \f\ = nondom-hand palm dominant-side, dominant-hand palm nondom-side (palms facing) . iv = nondom-hand up, dominant-hand down (move hands past each other) ZS = repeat action switching hands
A clnnn S \l\ . #iv = correct / right A clnnn = 1 handshape (presumed chest height)
S \l\ = nondom-hand palm dominant-side, dominant-hand palm nondom-side (palms facing) . #iv = touch down onto nondom-hand
cfnnn __ll [+] . <-- = we / us cfnnn = bent-1 handshape (presumed chest height) [+] = on body (to chest) __ll = palm in . q< = move left
A _ffff =_\=^ . A _ffff A __ll . [+] Y A l__l . S q> = angel A _ffff = bent-B handshape (presumed chest height) =_\=^ = slightly up from height (to shoulder) A __ll = both palms in . [+] = move both hands onto body (to shoulder)
Y = compound word A _ffff = bent-B handshape (presumed chest height) A l__l = both palms out S q> = nondom-hand move nondom-side, dominant-hand move dominant-side (move hands apart)
\ufufuff \\_-^ __ll . [+] = power \ufufuff = claw-5 handshape  \\_- = at elbow \\_-^ = slightly up from height (to upper arm)
__ll = palm in . [+] = move onto body (to upper arm) cllll \\_- \__\ [+] . iv Z = autumn / fall cllll = B handshape \\_- = at elbow[+] = on body (to elbow)
 \__\ = palm down . iv = move toward palm facing direction Z = repeat action
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