ASL has an inventory of generally recognized ASL words using specific handshapes at specific locations, but peoples' actual signs can be quite varied. Just like pace, pitch and pausing in written English, ASLSJ can only hint at how fast something is signed, how many times it is repeated, or what facial / body expressions are used.
ASLSJ breaks ASL words into a sequential pattern for writing. These syllables are in groups separated by a period. Before the period is the initial hand placement. After the period is the movement and possibly the ending hand placement.
Sections:
1) Handshape
2) NonDom-hand* handshape
3) Location
4) Palm facing
5) Touch or Distance
6) Movement
7) Ending handshape or palm facing
8) Repetition 9) Finger spelling 10) Body tilt, eye gaze, head nod / shake, movement speed 1) Handshape
Starting character: _ c f i l n r
Uses: It shows the positions of the thumb and fingers on the right-hand
_llll __ll . [+] = mine  _llll = dominant open-B handshape (four fingers together and flat with palm)(presumed chest height)
 __ll = palm facing in toward body . [+] = move hand onto body (to chest)_llll __ll [+] . i^ Z = happy _llll = open-B handshape(presumed chest height) [+] = on body (to chest) __ll = palm facing in toward body . i^ = move hand upZ = repeat movement (come back and move again) \ffff __ff [+] . iv = hungry  \ffff = C handshape(presumed chest height) [+] = on body (to chest) __ff = palm facing in toward body . iv = move down2) NonDom-hand handshape
Starting character: _ c f i l n r
Uses: It shows the positions of the thumb and fingers on the left hand nnnlc \fnnn S \l\ . #q< Z = word  nnnlc = nondom-hand 1 handshape (first finger extended flat with palm) S- = nondom-hand palm facing opposite of dominant-hand (across body) \fnnn = dominant-hand G handshape (first finger and thumb bent)(presumed chest height)
 \l\ = dominant-hand palm facing nondom-side (across body)y . #q< = move dominant hand nondom-side (across body) to touch nondom-hand llll_ innnn /ll_/ \l\ #iv . A qv = help me llll_ = nondom-hand open-B handshape /ll_/ = nondom-hand palm up innnn = dominant-hand open-A handshape (all fingers closed to palm, thumb spread out)(presumed chest height)
\l\ = dominant-hand palm facing nondom-side (across body) #qv = dominant-hand touching down on nondom-hand. A iv = both hands move in llll_ rffff A \_ll\ . #iv Z = money llll_ = nondom-hand open-B handshape A = nondom-hand palm facing matches dominant-hand rffff = dominant-hand O handshape (four fingers together and bent, first finger touching thumb)(presumed chest height) \_ff\ = dominant-hand palm facing up . #iv = move down to touch nondom-handZ = repeat the movement (come back and touch again)
3) Location
Starting characters: W M ( ) = \
Uses: Dominant-hand location relative to body cllll \\_- \__\ [+] . iv Z = autumn cllll = fingerspelled B handshape \\_- = at elbow [+] = on body (on elbow) \__\ = palm facing down . iv = move hand in same direction as palm facing (down) Z = repeat (come back and move again) _llll W_\M \l\ . q^ Z = lecture _llll = open-B handshape (nondom-hand is not used) W_\M = forehead height \l\ = palm facing nondom-side . q^ = move hand out toward audienceZ = repeat (come back and move again)
rffff (_\) __ll . [+] Z = food rffff = O handshape (nondom-hand is not used) (_\) = chin / neck height__ll = palm facing in toward body . [+] = move hand onto bodyZ = repeat action (come back and move again) 4) Palm facing
Starting character: l \ / _
Uses: Direction to face the palms and point the fingers or knuckles
_llll l__l . q^ = yours _llll = open-B handshape(presumed chest height)
 l__l = palm facing out toward audience . q^ = move hand in same direction as palm facing (out)clnnn \l\ . q^ = you clnnn = 1 handshape(presumed chest height) \l\ = palm facing nondom side . q^ = move hand out toward audienceA _ffff S \l\(iv . S q< = introduce A _ffff = nondom-hand matches; dominant hand bent-B handshape S \l\(iv = nondom-hand palm opposing; dominant-hand palm nondom side with knuckles turned down . S q< = nondom-hand move opposing; dominant-hand move nondom side (toward each other)
5) Touch or Distance
Starting character: # -
Uses: dominant-hand relative to nondom-hand
A _llll A \__\ #i^ . q^ = enter A _llll = nondom-hand matches; dominant-hand open-B handshape(presumed chest height)
 A \__\ = nondom-hand matches; dominant-hand palm facing down #i^ = dominant-hand touching up to nondom-hand . q^ = move dominant-hand outA \ufufuff A \__\ -i^- . q< Z = above  A \ufufuff = nondom-hand matches; dominant-hand 5 handshapes (four fingers and thumb spread apart flat with palm)(presumed chest height)
A \__\ = nondom-hand matches; dominant-hand palm facing down -i^- = dominant-hand farther up from nondom-hand . q< = move dominant-hand to nondom-side (across body)Z = repeat movement (come back and move again) 6) Movement
Movement characters: q i D
Uses: Shows the dominant-hand movement or both hands' movements
A innnn S \l\ . q^ ZS = race nnnni innnn = A handshape (presumed chest height)
S \l\ = nondom-hand palm dominant-side; dominant-hand palm nondom-side (facing each other) . q^ = dominant-hand moves out ZS = repeat movement with opposing hands (nondom-hand moves and dominant-hand returns) clnnn W_\M __nl . q<(iv = consider clnnn = 1 handshape W_\M = forehead height __ll = palm in . q<(lv = move nondom-side (across body) and circle down \ffff =/_= \l\ [+] . -->\lv = Christ \ffff = C handshape (presumed chest height) =/_= = nondom-side of chest (across body) [+] = on body (to chest) . q>\iv = move dominant-side angled down
7) Ending handshape or palm facing
Starting character: _ c f i l n
Uses: Shows the fingers bent into a new handshape or the wrist twisted into a new palm facing direction \ufufuff W_\M . rffff __ll . q^ = out \ufufuff = claw-5 handshape W_\M = forehead height . rffff = change to O handshape __ll = palm in . q^ = move out clnnn W_\M l__l . \l\ = first clnnn = 1 handshape W_\M = forehead height l__l = palm facing out . \l\ = twist at wrist until palm facing nondom-side (across body)
8) Repetition
Starting character: Z ) <
Uses: Shows the movement occurs more than once, or gets undone
A _llll A \__\ . #iv Z = school A _llll = non-dom-hand matches; open-B handshape S \__\ = nondom-hand palm opposing; dominant-hand palm-down (facing each other) #iv = move down to touch nondom-hand Z = repeat movement (come back and move again)
llll_ _lnnn S \l\ . #q< . q> = illegal llll_ = nondom-hand B handshape _lnnn = dominant-hand L handshape S \l\ = nondom-hand palm opposes (facing each other); dominant-hand palm facing nondom-side (across body) . #q< = move dominant-hand toward nondom-side to touch nondom-hand . q> = move dominant-hand toward dominant-side (undo movement)
9) Finger spelling Starting character: ALL CAPS WORDS or % Uses: A spelled-out English word using the ASL manual alphabet SOON = English word "soon" -Soon = fingerspell letters S, O, O, N %W_\M [+] %VP = Vice President % = hand placement indicator W_\M = forehead height [+] = on body (to forehead) %VP = fingerspell letters V then P 10) Body tilt, eye gaze, head nod / shake, movement speed Starting character: ' c Description: Describe body language  ''--> = looking and signing to the dominant side <--'' = looking and signing to the non-dominant side''--() = shaking head side to side ''--^v = nodding head up and down cc--= = move slowly cc--# = move hands fast * The technical terms "Dominant Hand" and "Non-Dominant Hand" for most people mean their right hand and left hand respectively. For Left-handed people, their left hand is their Dominant-hand, and their right hand is their Non-Dominant-hand. I use the abbreviation NonDom for the term Non-Dominant.
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