To sign 'broken', start with both hands in 'S' shapes (fists) held together in front of your chest, with your palms facing down and your knuckles touching. Then, pull your hands apart while sharply twisting your wrists so your palms end up facing each other or slightly upward. The motion should look exactly like you are snapping a stick in half.
To sign this, you would first sign 'my' and 'phone'. Then, execute the 'broken' sign with a sharp snapping motion. Because a broken phone is usually a frustrating experience, be sure to furrow your eyebrows and show a disappointed or upset facial expression to convey the full meaning.
Start by signing 'chair', establishing the object you are talking about. Follow this immediately with the sign for 'broken'. Make sure your wrist twist is clear and the snapping motion is crisp to emphasize that the chair is physically damaged and cannot be used.
Begin with the sign for 'careful' to get the person's attention, then sign 'glass'. Finish with the 'broken' sign. To make the warning effective, widen your eyes slightly and use an urgent facial expression so the person understands there is a hazard they need to avoid.
To sign this, you would first sign 'my' and 'phone'. Then, execute the 'broken' sign with a sharp snapping motion. Because a broken phone is usually a frustrating experience, be sure to furrow your eyebrows and show a disappointed or upset facial expression to convey the full meaning.
Start by signing 'chair', establishing the object you are talking about. Follow this immediately with the sign for 'broken'. Make sure your wrist twist is clear and the snapping motion is crisp to emphasize that the chair is physically damaged and cannot be used.
Begin with the sign for 'careful' to get the person's attention, then sign 'glass'. Finish with the 'broken' sign. To make the warning effective, widen your eyes slightly and use an urgent facial expression so the person understands there is a hazard they need to avoid.
While you can use this general sign to convey the idea, 'broken heart' is often signed more specifically. You can make this exact 'snapping' motion directly over your heart area. Alternatively, there is a distinct sign where both hands form 'S' shapes over the heart and forcefully tear apart to show emotional pain.
Yes, the verb 'break' and the adjective 'broken' use the exact same sign in ASL. The language relies heavily on the context of your sentence to clarify the meaning. Your facial expressions and the signs you use before and after will make it obvious whether you are describing an action or a state.
No, you should not use this sign for taking a rest or a pause from work. ASL has a completely different sign for a 'break' in terms of time off. The sign described here is strictly used for the physical action of damaging, snapping, or destroying a tangible object.
