the sign 'but' is a two handed sign. curl the hands into fists, leaving the index fingers extended. bring the hands up towards chest level, with the palms facing outwards. press the fingertip of one of the index fingers to the nail of the other, so it is behind the hand. bring the hands apart.
Sign 'I WANT GO', then use the 'but' sign by touching your index fingers together and pulling them apart, followed by 'I MUST WORK'.
Sign 'I LIKE APPLES', then perform the 'but' sign by separating your touching index fingers, and finish with 'NOT ORANGES'.
Sign 'COLD', transition into the 'but' sign by bringing your index fingers together and pulling them apart, then sign 'SUNNY'.
Sign 'I WANT GO', then use the 'but' sign by touching your index fingers together and pulling them apart, followed by 'I MUST WORK'.
Sign 'I LIKE APPLES', then perform the 'but' sign by separating your touching index fingers, and finish with 'NOT ORANGES'.
Sign 'COLD', transition into the 'but' sign by bringing your index fingers together and pulling them apart, then sign 'SUNNY'.
They are very similar and use the same base handshape and motion! However, 'different' is usually signed with a larger, sometimes repeated movement pulling the hands further apart, while 'but' is typically a single, smaller, and quicker separation of the index fingers.
No, it does not strictly matter which finger is in front. Most signers naturally place their dominant hand slightly behind or in front depending on comfort, but the meaning remains exactly the same as long as the fingers touch and separate.
Yes! Fingerspelling B-U-T is actually very common in ASL, especially when you want to emphasize the contrast or transition in your sentence. However, learning the formal sign described here is essential for building your core vocabulary.
