How to Sign "Go Home"
To sign "go home," you will combine the signs for "go" and "home." Start with both hands in front of you, index fingers pointing up. Move both hands forward away from your body to sign "go." Then, with your dominant hand, form a pinched "O" handshape (all fingers touching the thumb). Touch your cheek near your mouth, then move your hand up and back to touch your cheek near your ear to sign "home."
Visual Logic(Etymology)
This phrase is a literal combination of two highly iconic ASL signs. The sign for "go" uses the index fingers to visually represent movement or a path directed away from the signer's current location. The sign for "home" originates from combining the traditional signs for "eat" (touching near the mouth) and "sleep" (touching near the ear), beautifully representing the place where a person eats and sleeps.
Signing Tips
Focus on the smooth transition between the two signs. Even though it consists of two distinct concepts, in fluent ASL, compound phrases flow naturally together. Don't pause awkwardly between "go" and "home." Also, ensure your "home" handshape is a clear, flat "O" shape, and make sure the "go" movement is clearly directed away from your body.
Common Mistakes
A frequent mistake beginners make is signing "home" on the wrong side of the face; always use your dominant hand on the dominant side of your face. Another common error is pointing the index fingers toward yourself instead of away from yourself during the "go" portion, which accidentally changes the meaning of the phrase to "come home."
Regional Variations
This sign is widely used and understood across the ASL community with minimal regional variation.
Examples Using "Go Home" in a Sentence
1I'm tired, I want to go home.
Sign "tired" and "want," then use the "go home" sequence. You can emphasize the forward motion of the "go" sign to show your strong intent or eagerness to leave.
2What time do you go home?
Sign "time," point to the person for "you," and sign "go home." Remember to furrow your eyebrows at the end of the sentence, as this is a "wh-" question.
3Let's go home now.
Sign "now" by dropping both "Y" handshapes down in front of you, followed by the "go home" sequence. Keep the transition between the signs smooth and fluid.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to sign both words, or is there a single sign for 'go home'?
In ASL, 'go home' is typically signed exactly as shown: by combining the distinct signs for 'go' and 'home.' There isn't a single merged handshape for this phrase, so you will always sign the sequence of both words.
Does it matter which hand I use for 'home'?
Yes, you should always use your dominant hand to sign 'home.' For the 'go' part, both hands are used, but when you transition to 'home,' simply drop your non-dominant hand and use your dominant hand on the matching side of your face.
Can I change the direction of the 'go' sign?
The sign for 'go' is highly directional. Moving your index fingers away from your body means 'go.' If you move them toward yourself, it means 'come.' For the phrase 'go home,' always ensure you move your fingers away from your body.
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