To sign backpack, form both hands into 'A' handshapes with your thumbs pointing up. Place your hands near your collarbones, and tap your hands against your upper chest twice. This motion mimics holding onto the shoulder straps of a backpack.
Start by pointing to yourself, sign 'forget', then sign 'backpack' by tapping your 'A' hands on your upper chest twice, and finish with 'home'.
Sign 'book', then use the sign for 'backpack', and follow up with the sign for 'put in' to show the action of placing the items inside.
Sign 'my backpack', then use a strained facial expression and dropped shoulders while signing 'heavy' to emphasize the weight.
Start by pointing to yourself, sign 'forget', then sign 'backpack' by tapping your 'A' hands on your upper chest twice, and finish with 'home'.
Sign 'book', then use the sign for 'backpack', and follow up with the sign for 'put in' to show the action of placing the items inside.
Sign 'my backpack', then use a strained facial expression and dropped shoulders while signing 'heavy' to emphasize the weight.
Both are acceptable and widely understood! The 'A' handshape is very common, but some signers prefer 'C' handshapes to visually represent the physical width of the straps.
You should tap your chest twice. In ASL, nouns typically have a double or repeated movement, so the double tap clarifies that you are talking about the object 'backpack'.
While it is best to use both hands to clearly show both straps, you can sign it with one hand in casual conversation if your other hand is occupied, and context will make your meaning clear.
