How to Sign "Motor"
Bring both hands in front of your chest with your fingers spread and bent. Interlock your fingers together, as if they are gears meshing. While keeping them interlocked, pivot your hands up and down a few times at the wrists.
Examples Using "Motor" in a Sentence
1
The car's motor is loud.
Sign 'car', then sign 'motor' by interlocking your bent fingers and pivoting them at the wrists, followed by the sign for 'loud'.
2
I need to fix the boat motor.
After signing 'boat' and 'fix', use the interlocking gear motion to specify that the motor is the specific part that needs repairing.
3
The motor stopped working.
Sign 'motor' clearly with the up-and-down pivoting motion, then use the sign for 'stop' or 'break' to convey that the engine has failed.
How to Sign "Motor"
Bring both hands in front of your chest with your fingers spread and bent. Interlock your fingers together, as if they are gears meshing. While keeping them interlocked, pivot your hands up and down a few times at the wrists.
Visual Logic(Etymology)
This sign is highly iconic and visually represents the internal mechanics of a motor or engine. The interlocked, bent fingers symbolize the interlocking gears or moving pistons found inside a machine, while the up-and-down pivoting motion mimics the continuous mechanical action of those parts working together.
Signing Tips
Keep your fingers loose enough to interlock comfortably but firm enough to show the mechanical nature of a motor. The movement should come from your wrists, pivoting up and down, rather than moving your whole arms. Imagine the interlocking fingers as gears turning together in an engine.
Common Mistakes
A common mistake is keeping the fingers perfectly straight when interlocking them. Your fingers should be bent like claws or gears. Another mistake is moving the arms up and down instead of just pivoting the hands at the wrists, which makes the sign look less like a contained engine.
Regional Variations
This sign is widely used and understood across the ASL community with minimal regional variation.
Examples Using "Motor" in a Sentence
1The car's motor is loud.
Sign 'car', then sign 'motor' by interlocking your bent fingers and pivoting them at the wrists, followed by the sign for 'loud'.
2I need to fix the boat motor.
After signing 'boat' and 'fix', use the interlocking gear motion to specify that the motor is the specific part that needs repairing.
3The motor stopped working.
Sign 'motor' clearly with the up-and-down pivoting motion, then use the sign for 'stop' or 'break' to convey that the engine has failed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the sign for 'motor' the same as 'engine'?
Yes, the sign for 'motor' and 'engine' is exactly the same. You use the same interlocking gear motion for both concepts, relying on the context of your sentence to clarify which English word you mean.
How many times should I pivot my hands?
Usually, two or three quick up-and-down pivots are perfect. You don't need to do it continuously unless you are specifically emphasizing that a motor has been running for a very long time.
Does it matter which thumb is on top when I interlock my fingers?
No, it doesn't matter which thumb rests on top. Just interlock your fingers naturally in whichever way feels most comfortable for your hands while maintaining the bent gear shape.
ASL is a beautiful, expressive language. Practice regularly and have fun!