With hands open in a "bent 5" or "claw" handshape place palms facing each other and directly in front of the body. Start with the hands moderately close together bring them up and apart in an arc. The size this sign is done will indicate how much or how little is being referenced.
Sign "I", "LOVE", "YOU", and then emphasize "MUCH" by making the arc motion larger and wider to visually demonstrate the great intensity and size of your love.
Sign "THAT", "COST", and then "MUCH" while furrowing your eyebrows, which is the standard facial expression for WH-questions in ASL. Keep the arc motion moderate since the quantity is unknown.
Sign "HERE", "NOISE", and then "MUCH". To convey the concept of "too much," make the arc motion very large and add a stressed or overwhelmed facial expression.
Sign "I", "LOVE", "YOU", and then emphasize "MUCH" by making the arc motion larger and wider to visually demonstrate the great intensity and size of your love.
Sign "THAT", "COST", and then "MUCH" while furrowing your eyebrows, which is the standard facial expression for WH-questions in ASL. Keep the arc motion moderate since the quantity is unknown.
Sign "HERE", "NOISE", and then "MUCH". To convey the concept of "too much," make the arc motion very large and add a stressed or overwhelmed facial expression.
In ASL, the concepts of 'much' and 'a lot' frequently overlap. The sign described here, with claw hands pulling apart in an arc, is commonly used for both. The exact meaning is determined by the size of your movement and your facial expressions.
You don't need to mouth the English word. Instead, use ASL mouth morphemes. For example, if you are signing 'too much' or 'a huge amount,' you might puff your cheeks slightly or mouth 'cha' to emphasize the large size of the arc.
Moving your hands in an upward arc visually represents a pile or a volume of something growing larger. Pulling them straight apart horizontally can look like the sign for 'measure' or 'size,' so the arc helps clarify that you mean quantity.
