Sign Language Structure
15
16-19
20
21,
23-29
30
22,
31-99
100
1000
1,000,000
Stokoe, Jr.
fist a or s, (5)
"
"
[DCS: (5) upraised
a, appropriate unit digit
relaxed L, closed L
L and unit digit
"
palm toward viewer; this
is usually the case from 20
-99
"
(3), closed (3) "
(first digit), (second digit) "
(1), c
palm of left hand; (1), m
on right hand
as above
edge of palm toward
viewer
left palm held out; palm of
right hand toward signer
as above
(5) snaps or opens
from fist
nod (4), tb upraised]
a changes rapidly
into appropriate digit
unit
L closes to pinch;
may move slightly to
right
L into unit digit; may
move slightly to right
(3) closes; may move
slightly to right
(first digit) into
(second digit); may
move slightly to
right
(1) into c
(1); then m tips touch
palm of left hand
as above, then repeat
m touch farther from
wrist
*'Fist a' and 'fist s' refer to configurations of the manual alphabet; see Fig. 1.
**Figures in parentheses refer to configurations already described above.
Approximations by decades: The equivalents of the English 'forties, in his 'thirties', 'doing seventy', are signed by
shaking the configuration for the decade (30 through 90) in small arcs from the wrist. A facial expression
accompanying such signs also helps to indicate that the number is approximate.
For numbers over one hundred, use digits and signs in the order corresponding to the number. Example: 257,100
is signed: (2) (hundred) (57) (thousand) (1) (hundred). There is no standard rule for signing long numbers; the
requirements for clarity will dictate the practice. Where long numbers are not separated into groups, the common
practice would be to 'read' off the number, registration numbers, etc., may be read off as above, or may be separated
into groups by the signer, without signs for hundred, thousand, etc., as is the usual case with years: 1959 is signed (19)
(59).
ORDINALS:
The sign language employs as visible ordinal system only a limited group of numbers (1-9 or 10): The fingers in
configuration desired, tips toward viewer, make slight, repeated twisting motions. There is also a second system, used
to indicate position on a chart or list, such as a chart of baseball league standings: with fingers in configuration, palm
toward signer, finger tips pointing left, the hand moves to the right.
For higher ordinals, these two systems are not used, probably because the movements in these systems, if added to
the movements that are elements of all numerals containing more than one digit, would produce awkward
combinations. Instead, the ordinal is understood by context or indicated by the addition of a finger-spelled 'th'; spelling
for the three lowest ordinals, 'at', 'nd', and 'rd', however, are rarely seen.
SASLJ, Vol. 2, No. 2 – Fall/Winter 2018
32