To sign 'braid', start with both hands near the sides of your head or upper chest. Form your hands as if you are gently grasping strands of hair. Move your hands in an alternating, overlapping downward motion, crossing one hand over the other repeatedly. This movement directly mimics the physical action of weaving or braiding hair.
Sign 'braid' near the side of your head, then point to yourself to indicate it is your own hair you are talking about.
Sign 'braid' and extend the alternating downward motion further down your chest or torso to visually emphasize the length of the braid.
Use the sign for 'braid' while maintaining eye contact and raising your eyebrows to indicate a yes/no question.
Sign 'braid' near the side of your head, then point to yourself to indicate it is your own hair you are talking about.
Sign 'braid' and extend the alternating downward motion further down your chest or torso to visually emphasize the length of the braid.
Use the sign for 'braid' while maintaining eye contact and raising your eyebrows to indicate a yes/no question.
Yes, you can use spatial agreement! If you are talking about a braid on the side of your head, sign it there. If it is a braid down the back, you can initiate the sign slightly over your shoulder.
While some signers use an 'R' handshape to represent crossed strands, simply using relaxed hands that look like they are grasping and weaving hair, as shown in the video, is perfectly clear and natural.
To show a French braid, start the braiding motion higher up on the back or top of your head, keeping your hands close to your scalp before moving down.
