American Sign Language:  "[what]-DO?" / DO-DO? / DO-[what]? / what

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Also see:  DO

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The sign "DO-what?" or ("what-DO") evolved from the spelling of the word "do."

Some people even just call it the DO-DO sign because there is and older version of the sign that used "D" handshapes.

To do the "D" shapes version of the sign, turn your hands palm up in "D" handshapes and hold them in front of you with your index fingers pointing forward.  Then keeping your hands in that position, spell the word "DO" twice.

More advanced signers tend to do the same general sign except we have "mutated" the "D" handshapes into "G" handshapes.  The movement for this variation is to bring the pad of the index finger and the thumb together twice (on both hands simultaneously).

Make sure to use a "Wh-q" facial expression with this sign if you are using it as a question because it translates to "What are/is we/he/she/they/it doing?" 

Interestingly, over time people have started doing this sign with a neutral facial expression to mean "what." 
(There are other ways to sign "what" that you should learn and focus on. 

If you put a yes/no question facial expression (by raising your eyebrows) on this sign it can mean "What did I do?" -- as in "Am I in trouble?"

For now though if you are a beginner, just focus on learning the "what-DO?" usage of the sign:

DO-[what]?:  

Notice in the version above how the sign is done with "G" hand shapes (that evolved from "D" hand shapes).

Older version of the sign:  Notice the "D" hand shapes.

 

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DO-what? (one handed version)
(What are you doing!?)

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Side view: (G hand version)

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WHAT-DO? (older D hand variation)
Notice, you can use a "D" handshape instead of the "G" handshape.  

For more information on "DO" visit the DO page.

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Notes and Discussion:

A student asks: Can the sign "what-do" be used for asking "what do I do?" i.e., "Suppose, fingerspelling, make mistake, what-do?"

Response: Excellent, yes! The [what]-DO sign can indeed be used as you suggest. I might modify your sentence a bit as follows:
"SUPPOSE, DURING ME FINGERSPELL, MISTAKE, I SHOULD what-DO?"

And while there isn't one right or wrong way to ask that question, the "during" and "should=must/need/have to" signs will clarify that you are seeking to know how to handle spelling errors.
-- Dr. Bill
 

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A student asks:  I've seen that sign referred to as #DO.  Why the hashtag in front of the word?

Response: Because ASL teachers and linguists who study ASL used that mark to indicate fingerspelling that has morphed to look like a sign.  The process of becoming word-like or sign-like is called lexicalization.  

 

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