A@IpsiChest-RadialBack A@ContraChest-RadialBack

American Sign Language

Alternative forms

(rotated with the knuckles facing toward the signer) A@IpsiChest-TipBack A@ContraChest-TipBack
(with the handshape “open A”) OpenA@IpsiChest-RadialBack OpenA@ContraChest-RadialBack

Etymology

The same handshape as various signs indicating oneself, e.g. A@RadialFinger-1@Center-FingerUp (“oneself”), and the same location and movement as other first-person plural pronouns, e.g. FlatB@IpsiChest-FingerUpPalmAcross RoundHoriz FlatB@ContraChest-FingerUpPalmAside (“our”).

Production

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This one-handed ASL sign is produced as follows:
1. Posture the dominant hand in a shape similar to the “A” handshape (i.e. with the fingers together and curled into a fist, the thumb unopposed and closed) but with the tip of the thumb extended about an inch past the edge of the index finger on the dominant side of the chest, radial (thumb-side) edge of the dominant hand facing back.
2. Posture the dominant hand in the same shape on the nondominant side of the chest, radial (thumb-side) edge of the dominant hand facing back.
3. Hold the hand still briefly.

Noun

Upload png, jpg, or gif image. (ASL gloss: OURSELVES, SELF-ONLY-PL-1)

ourselves; only we; we and no one else

Usage notes

This sign indicates that the group including the signer alone satisfies the sentence predicate. This pronoun and the related SELF-ONLY signs are only used as subjects.

Related terms

A@Chest-RadialBack Contact (“SELF-ONLY-1, I myself”)
A@Chesthigh SmallFrontandback (“SELF-ONLY, you yourself, he himself, she herself”)
A@Chesthigh RoundHoriz (“SELF-ONLY-PL, you yourselves, they themselves”)
A@RadialFinger-1@Center-FingerUp (“self, oneself”)