American Sign Language

Alternative forms

• (repeatedly bending and releasing) OpenB@Sfhead Flatten Y@FromSfhead
• (ending with the “Bent B” shape) OpenB@Sfhead Flatten BentB@FromSfhead
• (beginning a few inches from the head) OpenB@NearSfhead Y@FromSfhead

Production

• This one-handed ASL sign is produced as follows:
  1. 
     Posture the dominant hand in the “open B” handshape at the dominant side of the forehead, near the temple.
  2. Move the hand away from the head while closing the index, middle, and ring finger.
  3. 
     Posture the dominant hand in the “Y” handshape several inches from the dominant side of the forehead.
• When used interrogatively, the sign is produced with furrowed eyebrows, squinted eyes, head tilted, and a very small headshake (i.e. pivoting slightly from side to side, not nearly so much as that of a “no” gesture).
• When used in a rhetorical question, the sign is produced with raised eyebrows and the head tilted slightly.

GUH Hand	LUH Hand	LUH Move	GUH Move	GUH Hand	LUH Hand
GUH Palm	LUH Palm	Second	Second	GUH Palm	LUH Palm
GUH Position	LUH Separation	Third	Third
open-B			Out	Y
In				In
Close to Body
Center
of Forehead

Adverb

(ASL gloss: WHY)

1. why

Conjunction

(ASL gloss: WHY)

1. because; since; (rhetorically) why

   (ASL gloss) ME WAIT FOR PULL-ONE-CLOSE[you→me] WHY ME DROOL HORNY YOU MAKE-LOVE-TO-EACH-OTHER __ME-FORMAL__hn

   “I've been waiting to pull you close to me because I've been dying for us to make love.”