How to Sign "Learning"
the sign 'learning' uses both hands. place the non-dominant hand at chest height in front of you, with the palm facing up towards the ceiling. with splayed claw dominant hand, press the fingertips against the palm of the non-dominant hand. draw the hand up towards the forehead, pulling the fingertips together as you move your hand up.
Visual Logic(Etymology)
This sign is highly iconic and visually intuitive. The non-dominant flat hand represents a book, a piece of paper, or a general source of information. The dominant hand physically 'grabs' the knowledge from the page and places it directly into your head, visually representing the act of absorbing and retaining information.
Signing Tips
Focus on the visual metaphor to help you remember the motion. Make sure your non-dominant hand stays flat and steady like a book. When pulling your dominant hand up, ensure your fingertips close together right as they reach your forehead, as if you are physically grasping the information and putting it into your brain.
Common Mistakes
A common mistake is moving the non-dominant hand along with the dominant hand. Make sure to keep your base hand completely still at chest height. Another frequent error is forgetting to close the fingers of the dominant hand; you must transition from a splayed claw to a closed, pinched handshape as it reaches your forehead.
Regional Variations
This sign is widely used and understood across the ASL community with minimal regional variation.
Examples Using "Learning" in a Sentence
1I am learning ASL.
Point to yourself, sign 'learning' by drawing your dominant hand from your open non-dominant palm up to your forehead, and then fingerspell A-S-L.
2Learning is fun.
Sign 'learning' by pulling your fingertips from your open palm up to your forehead, closing them as you go, and then sign 'fun'.
3She loves learning new things.
Point to the person you are talking about, sign 'love', sign 'learning' by bringing the hand from your palm to your forehead, and then sign 'new'.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does it matter which hand is the 'book'?
Yes, your non-dominant hand should always act as the base or the 'book,' while your dominant hand does the moving and grabbing. If you are right-handed, your left hand is the flat palm.
Do I actually need to touch my forehead?
You don't need to forcefully tap your forehead. Simply bring your pinched fingertips very close to your forehead, or let them lightly touch it, to complete the sign naturally.
Is this the same sign used for 'student'?
They are very closely related! To sign 'student,' you first sign 'learning' exactly as described, and then immediately add the 'person' marker by bringing both flat hands straight down parallel to each other.
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