To sign "stubborn," start by placing the thumb of your dominant open hand against the side of your forehead, with your palm facing forward and fingers pointing up. Keep your thumb anchored in place and sharply bend your fingers forward and down, keeping them together. This motion resembles a donkey's ear flopping forward. Add a firm or frustrated facial expression to match the meaning of the word.
Sign "dog," then use the sign for "stubborn" with a frustrated facial expression to show how difficult and unyielding the dog is being about getting in the water.
Point to the person you are talking about, sign "stubborn" with a firm downward snap of the fingers, and then sign "ask" and "help" while shaking your head.
Shake your head and sign "stubborn" to convey the negative command, followed by the sign for "listen" directed toward yourself with an earnest expression.
Sign "dog," then use the sign for "stubborn" with a frustrated facial expression to show how difficult and unyielding the dog is being about getting in the water.
Point to the person you are talking about, sign "stubborn" with a firm downward snap of the fingers, and then sign "ask" and "help" while shaking your head.
Shake your head and sign "stubborn" to convey the negative command, followed by the sign for "listen" directed toward yourself with an earnest expression.
Yes, they are essentially the same sign! Both use the visual representation of a donkey's ear. However, when signing "stubborn," you typically use a more intense, rigid movement and a firm facial expression to emphasize the personality trait rather than the animal.
"Stubborn" is typically signed using just your dominant hand. While the sign for "donkey" or "horse" sometimes uses two hands to show both ears, "stubborn" is almost always a one-handed sign placed on the dominant side of your head.
It is extremely important! ASL relies heavily on facial expressions to convey tone and degree. A neutral face might just look like you are signing "donkey," but furrowed eyebrows and a set jaw clearly communicate the frustrating or unyielding nature of being stubborn.
