To sign "meow", form an open "F" handshape (or "9" handshape) with your dominant hand, keeping your thumb and index finger slightly apart while your other three fingers remain extended and spread. Place your thumb and index finger near your cheek. Pull your hand outward to the side while pinching your thumb and index finger together, mimicking a cat's whiskers. Crucially, you must mouth the word "meow" while performing this motion.
To sign this, you would first establish the subject by signing 'CAT'. Then, you would perform the sign for 'MEOW', making sure to clearly mouth the word to show that the cat is making its signature sound.
Start by pointing to your ear or signing 'HEAR' to indicate listening. Then, perform the sign for 'MEOW' while mouthing the word, and finish by pointing or signing 'OUTSIDE' to show where the sound came from.
First, sign 'CAT' and 'BABY' to indicate a kitten. Then, sign 'HUNGRY' by moving a 'C' handshape down your chest. Finally, sign 'MEOW' to show the action the kitten takes when it wants food.
To sign this, you would first establish the subject by signing 'CAT'. Then, you would perform the sign for 'MEOW', making sure to clearly mouth the word to show that the cat is making its signature sound.
Start by pointing to your ear or signing 'HEAR' to indicate listening. Then, perform the sign for 'MEOW' while mouthing the word, and finish by pointing or signing 'OUTSIDE' to show where the sound came from.
First, sign 'CAT' and 'BABY' to indicate a kitten. Then, sign 'HUNGRY' by moving a 'C' handshape down your chest. Finally, sign 'MEOW' to show the action the kitten takes when it wants food.
The manual sign—meaning the handshape, location, and movement—is exactly the same for both words! The crucial difference lies entirely in your mouth movements. To sign 'meow', you must visibly mouth the word 'meow' while performing the 'cat' sign to convey the sound.
While the noun 'cat' is sometimes signed using both hands simultaneously, 'meow' is almost always signed using only your dominant hand. The primary focus of this sign is on the action of the sound, which is strongly supported by your facial expressions and mouthing.
No, you do not need to use your vocal cords. In American Sign Language, sounds are often conveyed visually through non-manual markers. You simply mouth the word 'meow' silently, allowing your lip movements to represent the auditory information to the person you are signing with.
