from

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Dominant hand: Starts as an index finger, changes into an "x."
Base hand:  Starts and STAYS as an index finger
Movement:  Pull the right hand back away from the left hand as if pulling back a string on a bow.

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Here we see "FROM" as part of the phrase "Where are you from? (Note the lowered eyebrows.)

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Optional Discussion:

Question:
In a message dated 3/31/2003 1:18:58 AM Central Standard Time, Scott  @attbi.com writes:

I met a fellow church member who interprets for another church nearby when he isn't attending services at my church. We just had a few brief minutes to converse before he had to return to ushering duties. He's the first person that can sign that I've really approached. He was very pleasant and encouraging, but he immediately corrected me on some of my signs

 His sign for the word "from" was different than the one demonstrated in all of my sources.  Instead of holding the left index finger up and pulling at the tip with the right index finger, he instead pointed the left index finer pointing to the right, and lightly touched it with the right index finger and pulled it away. It threw me until he explained it as the word "from". Have you seen this used in Texas? (BTW, I lived in Abilene for 10 years. Directed the Hardin-Simmons Cowboy Band while there.)
Thanks for any insight you can provide.
Cheers!
Scott

Answer:
Scott,
Regarding the sign "from."  This is one of those signs where books and ASL teachers tend to show one thing and real language users do something else.  See the forward slash on your keyboard that looks like this:  / 
Your left (or non-dominant) forearm and index finger are at about that angle.  Neither vertical or horizontal but somewhere in between.  Again note that it is much more physically comfortable to have it at an angle.  I'd have it more up than sideways though.
-- Dr. Bill

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