In American Sign Language (ASL), expressing love towards an object or activity can be done through various signs and gestures. Whether you want to express your adoration for a particular food, hobby, or pastime, this guide will provide you with a range of formal and informal ways to do so. While there may be some regional variations, we will focus on the commonly used signs and gestures. So, let’s dive in and explore the beautiful language of ASL!
Table of Contents
1. Formal Ways to Express Love for Something
When expressing love for something formally in ASL, it’s important to use appropriate signs and gestures that convey a respectful tone. Here are a few formal ways you can express your love for something:
1.1 Signing “I Love [Something]”
To express your love for something, follow these steps:
- Form your hand into a flat, open handshape.
- Place your flat hand over your heart in a gentle tapping motion.
- While tapping your heart, sign the word “LOVE” by crossing your arms over your chest.
- To specify the object of your love, fingerspell or sign the appropriate word directly after the sign for “LOVE.”
For example, if you want to say “I love music,” you would sign “I LOVE” with the appropriate signs for “music” following the word “LOVE.”
1.2 Expressing Deep Admiration
If you want to express a deeper level of admiration for something, such as saying “I adore [Something],” use the following sign:
- Form your dominant hand into a “V” handshape.
- Place your hand near your chest and make a gentle rocking motion from side to side.
- If you want to specify the object of your adoration, you can fingerspell or sign the appropriate word after making the rocking motion.
For instance, to sign “I adore cats,” you would sign “I ADORE” with the appropriate sign for “cats” following the gesture.
2. Informal Ways to Express Love for Something
In more casual settings or when talking with friends, you can use informal ways to express your love for something. Here are a few examples:
2.1 Signing “Really Like” or “Enjoy”
To express your love for something in a more informal manner, you can use signs like “REALLY LIKE” or “ENJOY.” Here’s how:
Form your dominant hand into a “5” handshape (extended thumb and fingers).
Hold your hand near your chest and make a gentle shaking motion.
To specify what you really like or enjoy, you can fingerspell or sign the appropriate word after making the shaking motion.
For example, to sign “I really like pizza,” you would sign “REALLY LIKE” with the sign for “pizza” following the shaking motion.
2.2 Signing “Favorite”
If you want to show that something is your favorite, follow these steps:
- Hold up your non-dominant hand with the palm facing outward.
- With your dominant hand, use a “flicking” motion to touch the side of your non-dominant hand near the base of your thumb. It resembles flicking a speck of dust away.
- After the flicking motion, you can fingerspell or sign the word for your favorite object.
For instance, to sign “My favorite color is blue,” you would perform the flicking motion and then sign “MY FAVORITE” with the appropriate sign for “blue” following it.
3. Regional Variations
ASL has some natural regional variations, resulting in different signs or minor differences in certain areas. However, when it comes to expressing love for something, the signs mentioned above are widely understood and accepted across regions. It’s always a good idea to research regional variations if you plan to communicate with specific local communities or individuals.
Conclusion
Expressing your love for something in ASL is a wonderful way to connect with others and celebrate the delights of life. Whether you want to communicate formally or casually, we hope this guide has provided you with useful signs and gestures. Remember, mastering ASL takes practice, so keep honing your skills and enjoy the beauty of this expressive language.
