A tiktok video from user @theessentialsign , showing the user (a young white person with an orange shirt and a blonde and purple ponytail) demonstrating some basic signs. The video has captions.
User (speaking and signing):
“Hi guy! During the time of covid and probably continuing into the future, people are using - what?
Masks! Masks make it very difficult for deaf/hard of hearing people to communicate effectively.
I decided I wanted to share some signs for essential workers.”
User then demonstrates signs:
“Hello! Hi!” (Caption reads ‘Greetings!’)
Sign: one flat hand waving at about face level. Looks like an ordinary wave.
“Can I help you? Can you help me?”
Sign: one hand in a fist with the thumb sticking up, like a ‘thumbs up’ gesture. The base of the fist is resting on the other hand, which is held flat horizontally. It looks a bit like offering a thumbs up on a platter!
The hands are held close to the body to indicate ‘me’, and towards the viewer to indicate ‘you’. “Can I help you?” starts with the hands by the user’s chest, then moved towards the viewer. “Can you help me?” starts with the hands held away from the user, then pulled towards the chest.
Sign: a pinched hand tapping towards the mouth. It looks a bit like when you pretend your hand is a bird, or the shape your hand makes inside a sock puppet.
Sign: hand held as if holding an invisible glass, tipping towards the mouth as if the user were drinking. A common gesture among hearing people too.
Sign: one fist held horizontally at shoulder height, knuckles facing forwards. The index finger is extended and curls downwards. It looks a little like the 'come here’/beckoning gesture but upside down.
Sign: Two hands held flat with palms up at chest height, fingers spread. They wave side to side horizontally.
Sign: previous two signs used together. The order of the signs is “need what?”
Sign: one flat hand, palm facing the user, fingertips touching user’s forehead/temple. The hand moves away from the user’s head in a slightly curved short movement. It looks a little like waving away a thought.
Sign: one fist held upright at face height, palm/knuckles towards the user. The thumb is sticking up, and the index finger is flicked up the thumb, ending pointed at the sky. It looks a bit like flicking away some dust or a fly, but pointed upwards.
Sign: both hands pinched, like the bird beak/sock puppet shape used for 'food’ above. They are held at chest height, and the fingertips tapped together. It looks a little like two birds kissing.
Sign: one hand held flat at chest height, palm up like a pad of paper. The other hand forms a fist lying knuckles-down on the 'paper’. Hands moved towards the viewer as if offering something to them.
Sign: one hand with palm flat on chest, rubbed in a circle.
Sign: one hand held flat, palm towards user, fingertips touching chin. The hand moves down and away from user’s chin, the arm bending at the elbow rather than the wrist. It looks like the hand is moving on a hinge at the elbow. It is a fairly short movement, only a few inches.
“Don’t forget to practice! Happy communicating!”
End of video description.]
Apologies if I described any of the signs wrong - I’m assuming this is American Sign Language and I’ve never learnt any. I recognise a few of these signs from BSL and/or Makaton and I’ve tried to describe them the way I was taught, but I only know very basic signs in both of those.
Please correct this description if needed!
