987,654,321 |
The sign "thousand" is done
in context as part of a specific number or as part of the concept
"thousands."
If you don't do the "number prefix" this sign looks a lot like the sign
for "AGAIN."
1,000: "one thousand" or "a thousand"
Here is another view of 1,000:
To sign the thousands, just combine the first part of the
number with the bent hand touching the left palm. For example, 2,000
starts with a "2" and then changes into a bent hand and touches the left palm.
2,000:
2,397: See an
animated example of the number 2397 ► (258 KB)
See an animated example
of the number 2397 (258 KB)
ONE-MILLION:
"Thousands" or "Millions"
When you want to indicate that there are thousands or millions of something
you can use the last part of the "MILLION" sign without a specific number
sign. Use an intense facial expression to help convey the concept of
"lots of."
Note: This sign is actually very similar to the sign "OFTEN."
DISCUSSION:
A historical tidbit for you: In the old days the sign "1,000" was done
with the right hand changing from an "index finger" into an "M" handshape
with the fingertips of the index, middle, and ring fingers coming to rest on
the palm of the left hand. The Roman numeral for "1,000" is an "M."
The sign has mutated from the obvious "M" shape and now simply uses a "bent
hand." This same sort of mutation occurred in the classic (and still
recommended) sign for DOCTOR, which started out as an "M" on the wrist
(indicating "medic" which was a classic name for a "doctor") and eventually
became the fingertips of the dominant bent hand tapping on the wrist of the
base hand.
American Sign Language University ™ ASL resources by Lifeprint.com © Dr. William Vicars