In ASL, ordinal numbers 1 through 9 are done similar to
cardinal numbers except they use a little twist of the wrist.
Beyond
"9th," ordinal numbers start adding a "TH" after the number
instead of doing the twist.
An interesting difference between English and ASL is that for some spoken
English numbers the way the cardinal version of the number is
pronounced leads to a natural impact on the way the number is pronounced in
its ordinal form.
Specifically a number in English such as 22 takes the ordinal form of 22nd
and pronounced as twenty-second.
However, ASL doesn't "pronounce" words. Rather, ASL signers sign signs. The
way in which the number 22 is signed in ASL doesn't lead to a need to use
the "nd" sound as it does in English. Thus for ASL signers the use of
"th" added to 22 actually "feels" better than adding "nd."
So, don't be surprised if you see someone sign "22th" in ASL.
"22nd" and/or "22th" is a fairly rare concept in either language though so
expect there to be less standardization in ASL regarding how to create the
ordinal form of 21, 22, and 23.
Claiming that 22th is "wrong" in ASL based on how English handles cardinal
numbering possibly be considered a form of linguistic snobbery from
bilingual English / ASL signers. ASL is not English.
Let's go over that again:
Cardinal numbers are 1, 2, 3...
Ordinal numbers, 1st, 2nd, 3rd...
In ASL we do cardinal numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, etc.
In ASL we do ordinal numbers:
1 + twist
2 + twist
3 + twist
4 + twist
5 + twist
6 + twist
7 + twist
8 + twist
9 + twist
10 + th (fingerspell "th")
11 + th
12 + th
13 + th
14 + th
15 + th
16 + th
17 + th
18 + th
19 + th
20 + th
21 + th
22 + th
...
In a message dated 2/22/2005 7:50:46 AM Pacific Daylight Time, akarajeurs@hotmail.com
writes:
so, when using cardinal numbers,you add the "th"? OWuldn't u use it for the
ordinal numbers?
>From: Dr. Bill Vicars
>To: akarajeurs@hotmail.com
>Subject: Re: numbers
>Date: Fri, 18 Feb 2005 18:35:28 EST
>
>
>
>Cardinal and Ordinal numbering:
>
>Cardinal numbers are the numbers you use for counting: one, two,
>three...and so on.
>Ordinal Numbers are used to indicate position: first, second, third,
>fourth...and so on. Cardinal nubmers 1 through 9 are done similar to
ordinal
>numbers except they use a little twist of the wrist. Beyond "9th" cardinal
numbers
>start adding a "TH" after the number. An interesting difference between
>English and ASL is that English uses the concept of "nd" for some numbers
but
>ASL only uses "th." For example English uses 22nd but ASL uses 22th.
American Sign Language University ™ ASL resources by Lifeprint.com © Dr. William Vicars