To sign pinch, hold your non-dominant arm across your lower chest. With your dominant hand, extend your index finger and thumb while keeping your other fingers curled. Bring your dominant hand to your non-dominant upper arm and sharply close your index finger and thumb together, mimicking the physical action of pinching the skin.
Sign 'pinch' by closing your index and thumb on your upper arm, followed by the sign for 'hurt' while showing a pained facial expression.
Point to your brother, sign 'try', and then perform the sign for 'pinch' on your non-dominant arm, perhaps pulling your shoulder away slightly to show avoidance.
Perform the sign for 'pinch' on your arm, point to yourself, and then sign 'dream' with a facial expression that shows excitement and disbelief.
Sign 'pinch' by closing your index and thumb on your upper arm, followed by the sign for 'hurt' while showing a pained facial expression.
Point to your brother, sign 'try', and then perform the sign for 'pinch' on your non-dominant arm, perhaps pulling your shoulder away slightly to show avoidance.
Perform the sign for 'pinch' on your arm, point to yourself, and then sign 'dream' with a facial expression that shows excitement and disbelief.
No, you don't need to actually pinch your skin hard! A light touch or simply closing your fingers on your shirt sleeve is perfectly fine to convey the meaning without causing yourself any discomfort.
While the upper arm is the standard location for the general concept of 'pinch', ASL is a highly spatial language. If you are describing being pinched specifically on the cheek or the back of the hand, you would perform the pinching motion on that specific body part.
In ASL, the intensity of an action is shown through your facial expressions and the speed of the sign. To show a painful pinch, squeeze your fingers together sharply and use a facial expression that shows pain, like wincing or furrowing your brows.
