To sign 'than', start with both hands in flat handshapes with your fingers together and palms facing down. Hold your non-dominant hand stationary in front of your chest. Place your dominant hand slightly above it, then bring your dominant hand downward in a quick motion so its fingers brush past the fingertips of your non-dominant hand.
To express this comparison, sign 'I', 'tall', and then use the sign for 'than' by brushing your dominant hand down past your non-dominant hand. Finish by signing 'my brother'.
Establish the first item by signing 'this book' and 'better'. Next, execute the crisp downward brushing motion for 'than' to set up the comparison, and finish by pointing to 'that one'.
Begin by signing 'she', 'run', and 'fast'. Then, perform the 'than' sign by striking your flat dominant hand downward past your stationary non-dominant hand, and conclude the sentence by signing 'me'.
To express this comparison, sign 'I', 'tall', and then use the sign for 'than' by brushing your dominant hand down past your non-dominant hand. Finish by signing 'my brother'.
Establish the first item by signing 'this book' and 'better'. Next, execute the crisp downward brushing motion for 'than' to set up the comparison, and finish by pointing to 'that one'.
Begin by signing 'she', 'run', and 'fast'. Then, perform the 'than' sign by striking your flat dominant hand downward past your stationary non-dominant hand, and conclude the sentence by signing 'me'.
Not always. While this sign is useful, ASL frequently handles comparisons using spatial setup. You might place one item on your left and another on your right, then use body shifting and facial expressions to compare them without explicitly signing the English word 'than'.
No, 'than' and 'then' use completely different signs in ASL because their meanings differ. 'Than' is strictly for comparisons. 'Then', which refers to time or a sequence of events, is typically signed using an L-handshape tapping the thumb and index finger of the non-dominant hand.
Your dominant hand should always be the one making the downward movement. Your non-dominant hand serves as the stationary base or reference point. Keeping the non-dominant hand still is crucial for making the comparison clear and easy for others to understand.
