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Numbers: 1,000 and up


Numbers 1-10  /  11-20  /  21-30  /  31-40  /  100-900  / 1000 and up  /  Fractions 
 


 

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
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