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American Sign Language: "Classifier 1" (CL:1) The "1"-handshape classifier (CL:1) is typically used to show long skinny things: pencil pole person standing in a certain location person walking upright one-lane road tree-branch stick rod knife WALK: "CL:1 version" Here's an example of CL:1 being used to show a person walking by: Note: At one time the sign for "KILL" was probably based on a "CL1" handshape representing a knife. I'm not saying that the sign for KILL is a classifier. No, no, no. What I'm saying is that many signs started out as classifiers and then became "lexicalized" (standardized, fossilized, frozen into specific signs) and are no longer classifiers. My point here though is that CL1 can be used to show a knife. Also see: Classifier 3 You can learn American Sign Language (ASL) online at American Sign Language University ™ ASL resources by Lifeprint.com © Dr. William Vicars

American Sign Language: "Classifier 1" (CL:1)

The "1"-handshape classifier (CL:1) is typically used to show long skinny things:

pencil
pole
person standing in a certain location
person walking upright
one-lane road
tree-branch
stick
rod
knife

WALK: "CL:1 version"
Here's an example of CL:1 being used to show a person walking by:

Note: At one time the sign for "KILL" was probably based on a "CL1" handshape representing a knife. I'm not saying that the sign for KILL is a classifier. No, no, no. What I'm saying is that many signs started out as classifiers and then became "lexicalized" (standardized, fossilized, frozen into specific signs) and are no longer classifiers. My point here though is that CL1 can be used to show a knife.

Also see: Classifier 3

You can learn American Sign Language (ASL) online at American Sign Language University ™
ASL resources by Lifeprint.com © Dr. William Vicars