To sign Italy, form your dominant hand into an 'I' handshape by extending your pinky finger and curling the rest. Bring your hand up to your forehead with your palm facing inward. Using the tip of your pinky finger, trace a small cross on the center of your forehead. Do this by moving your pinky down slightly, lifting it, and then moving it horizontally across.
Start by pointing to yourself for 'I', then sign 'want' and 'travel'. Finish by forming the 'I' handshape and tracing a small cross on your forehead for 'Italy'.
Sign 'Italy' by tracing the cross on your forehead, then sign 'food' by bringing a squished 'O' hand to your mouth. Conclude by signing 'delicious'.
Point to the person for 'you', sign 'from', and then sign 'Italy' on your forehead. Make sure to raise your eyebrows at the end to indicate a yes/no question.
Start by pointing to yourself for 'I', then sign 'want' and 'travel'. Finish by forming the 'I' handshape and tracing a small cross on your forehead for 'Italy'.
Sign 'Italy' by tracing the cross on your forehead, then sign 'food' by bringing a squished 'O' hand to your mouth. Conclude by signing 'delicious'.
Point to the person for 'you', sign 'from', and then sign 'Italy' on your forehead. Make sure to raise your eyebrows at the end to indicate a yes/no question.
One sign uses the 'I' handshape on the forehead, referencing the country's Catholic roots. The other traces the shape of a boot in the air, representing the geographical outline of the country. Both are widely understood, but the forehead version is taught here!
Yes, it is best to make light contact with your forehead using the tip of your pinky finger as you trace the cross. However, if you prefer, doing it just a fraction of an inch away from the skin is also acceptable.
Yes! In ASL, this exact same sign is used to mean the country of Italy, the Italian language, and a person who is Italian. The context of your sentence will make your exact meaning clear to the person you are signing with.
