How to Sign "Days"
To sign 'days', start with your non-dominant arm resting horizontally across your stomach, palm facing down to represent the horizon. Form a 'D' shape with your dominant hand by pointing your index finger up and touching your thumb to your other fingers. Rest your dominant elbow on the back of your non-dominant hand. Finally, arc your dominant hand down until the side of your index finger rests on your non-dominant arm. To indicate the plural 'days', this motion can be repeated or paired with a number.
Visual Logic(Etymology)
The sign for 'days' is a beautiful example of a visually motivated sign in ASL. Your non-dominant arm acts as the horizon line. Your dominant arm represents the sun's journey across the sky. By forming the 'D' handshape (an initialized sign for the English word 'day') and arcing it downward toward the horizon, you are visually depicting the sun setting over the course of a day.
Signing Tips
To sign 'days' clearly, imagine your non-dominant arm is the flat horizon of the earth. Keep it steady and relaxed across your stomach. Your dominant hand should clearly form the 'D' handshape—index finger extended, with the thumb and remaining fingers forming a circle. Ensure the arcing motion is smooth and controlled, pivoting from the elbow rather than the wrist. If you are indicating multiple days without a specific number, you can repeat this arcing motion slightly to show plurality.
Common Mistakes
Beginners often move their non-dominant arm during the sign, which disrupts the visual metaphor of a stable horizon. Keep your base arm completely still. Another frequent error is bending the wrist of the dominant hand instead of pivoting from the elbow; the entire forearm should move as one unit to represent the sun's path. Finally, be careful not to confuse the 'D' handshape with a simple pointing index finger ('1' handshape), as the 'D' shape is standard for this sign.
Regional Variations
This sign is widely used and understood across the ASL community with minimal regional variation.
Examples Using "Days" in a Sentence
1I have been sick for three days.
Sign 'three' and then 'days'. Because you specified the number three, you only need to perform the sign for 'day' once, as the number establishes the plural meaning.
2We are leaving in a few days.
Sign 'few' and then 'days'. You can repeat the arcing downward motion of 'days' twice to emphasize that it is a plural amount of time.
3Those were the best days of my life.
Sign 'past' to indicate you are talking about previous times, followed by 'best' and 'days'. Repeating the sign for 'days' helps convey a continuous period in the past.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I show the difference between 'day' and 'days'?
In ASL, plurality is often shown by context. If you sign a number like 'four' before 'day', it automatically means 'four days'. If there is no number, you can repeat the sign for 'day' slightly to indicate 'days'.
Why do we use the 'D' handshape?
Using the 'D' handshape is an example of initialization, where an ASL sign incorporates the first letter of its English translation. While the motion shows the sun setting, the 'D' specifies the word 'day'.
Does my elbow have to touch my hand?
Yes, resting your dominant elbow on the back of your non-dominant hand provides a pivot point. This makes the arcing motion smoother and clearly establishes the spatial relationship between the 'sun' and the 'horizon'.
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