To sign "isn't" (which uses the standard ASL sign for "not"), form an "A" handshape with your dominant hand, keeping your thumb extended slightly alongside your fist. Place the pad of your thumb just under your chin. Move your hand straight forward away from your chin. Crucially, you must shake your head "no" while making this motion, as the headshake is an essential part of the grammar for negation in ASL.
Point to the person (he), sign 'party', sign 'go', and then use the 'isn't/not' sign while shaking your head.
Point to the object (that), sign 'my', sign 'book', and finish with the 'isn't/not' sign with a clear negative headshake.
Sign 'today', 'store', 'open', and then sign 'isn't/not' to negate the statement, remembering to shake your head.
Point to the person (he), sign 'party', sign 'go', and then use the 'isn't/not' sign while shaking your head.
Point to the object (that), sign 'my', sign 'book', and finish with the 'isn't/not' sign with a clear negative headshake.
Sign 'today', 'store', 'open', and then sign 'isn't/not' to negate the statement, remembering to shake your head.
No, you don't! ASL generally drops 'to be' verbs like 'is', 'am', and 'are'. To translate the English word 'isn't', you simply use the sign for 'not' combined with a negative headshake.
Yes. Because ASL doesn't use the word 'are', the English contraction 'aren't' is also translated using this exact same sign for 'not' to negate the sentence.
In ASL, facial expressions and head movements act as grammar. A negative headshake is the grammatical marker for negation. Even if you sign 'not' perfectly with your hands, omitting the headshake makes the sentence grammatically incomplete.
