American Sign Language: "game" The sign for "game" uses "A" hands (the thumb can be loose). Bring the hands together twice. (See the notes though, since it is also common to just do a single movement in context and still mean "game" as in a sports match up). You can either make contact or just bring them close together. (Most of the time I do make contact twice. I was just being careful for the pictures). GAME: CHALLENGE: This is a variation of the "GAME" sign. This variation uses a bigger, faster, movement and more facial expression. The movement is definitely a single movement Memory aid: Think of the way rams butt their heads together to *challenge* each other for dominance. That's just a memory aid. Do the sign lightly so as to not hurt yourself. You don't need to make contact with the hands. (It is "right" either way.) Note: In general the sign "game" is done with a double movement and the fronts of the fists make contact two times. However -- I've seen highly skilled signers like Dennis Platt (wonderful guy, world traveler, heavily involved with Deaf sports events, and former president of the Utah Association for the Deaf) do the sign "GAME" using a single strong movement without the hands touching. To me it was obvious that what he meant was "The big game!" (as in "The big match up!") Which means there are two teams coming together to challenge each other. So his signing (of course) made perfect sense. So, here is my advice: When you are referring to board games or simple little games between two players then go ahead and do this sign with a double movement with the knuckles of the hands butting up against each other. If you are referring to a sports match you can do the movement one time and you can make contact but you don't "have to" bring them all the way together. Either way is fine. Think about it from a Deaf perspective eh? Do you want to be smashing your knuckles together an extra 500 times over the course of a lifetime? No, it hurts and likely leads to arthritis. Stay flexible regarding the number of movements for this sign and the contact (or lack of contact). For this sign sure, you can in general consider it to be a noun/verb pair but I recommend you not be rigid about it. You can learn American Sign Language (ASL) online at American Sign Language University ™ ASL resources by Lifeprint.com © Dr. William Vicars Want to help support ASL University? It's easy: DONATE (Thanks!) (You don't need a PayPal account. Just look for the credit card logos and click continue.) Another way to help is to buy something from the ASLU "Bookstore." Want even more ASL resources? Visit the "ASL Training Center!" (Subscription Extension of ASLU) CHECK IT OUT > Bandwidth slow? Check out "ASLUniversity.com" (a free mirror of Lifeprint.com less traffic, fast access) VISIT >

American Sign Language: "game"

The sign for "game" uses "A" hands (the thumb can be loose).
Bring the hands together twice. (See the notes though, since it is also common to just do a single movement in context and still mean "game" as in a sports match up).
You can either make contact or just bring them close together. (Most of the time I do make contact twice. I was just being careful for the pictures).

GAME:

CHALLENGE:
This is a variation of the "GAME" sign.
This variation uses a bigger, faster, movement and more facial expression. The movement is definitely a single movement

Memory aid: Think of the way rams butt their heads together to challenge each other for dominance. That's just a memory aid. Do the sign lightly so as to not hurt yourself. You don't need to make contact with the hands. (It is "right" either way.)

Note: In general the sign "game" is done with a double movement and the fronts of the fists make contact two times.

However -- I've seen highly skilled signers like Dennis Platt (wonderful guy, world traveler, heavily involved with Deaf sports events, and former president of the Utah Association for the Deaf) do the sign "GAME" using a single strong movement without the hands touching. To me it was obvious that what he meant was "The big game!" (as in "The big match up!") Which means there are two teams coming together to challenge each other. So his signing (of course) made perfect sense.

So, here is my advice: When you are referring to board games or simple little games between two players then go ahead and do this sign with a double movement with the knuckles of the hands butting up against each other. If you are referring to a sports match you can do the movement one time and you can make contact but you don't "have to" bring them all the way together. Either way is fine. Think about it from a Deaf perspective eh? Do you want to be smashing your knuckles together an extra 500 times over the course of a lifetime? No, it hurts and likely leads to arthritis.

Stay flexible regarding the number of movements for this sign and the contact (or lack of contact).

For this sign sure, you can in general consider it to be a noun/verb pair but I recommend you not be rigid about it.

You can learn American Sign Language (ASL) online at American Sign Language University ™
ASL resources by Lifeprint.com © Dr. William Vicars

Want to help support ASL University? It's easy: DONATE (Thanks!)
(You don't need a PayPal account. Just look for the credit card logos and click continue.)

Another way to help is to buy something from the ASLU "Bookstore."

Want even more ASL resources? Visit the "ASL Training Center!" (Subscription Extension of ASLU) CHECK IT OUT >

Bandwidth slow? Check out "ASLUniversity.com" (a free mirror of Lifeprint.com less traffic, fast access) VISIT >