American Sign Language:  "half-hour"

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HALF-HOUR (version):

 

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Another version of the sign for "half-hour" shows a minute-hand having moved 30 minutes or "half way" around the face of a clock.

HALF-HOUR:

 

Sample sentence: "If the teacher doesn't come, would you wait a half-hour?"

https://youtu.be/6GXWaW1omCI
 

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Also see: HOUR

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Notes:

Question:  A student asks:

Dear Dr. Bill,
I have seen, and done, 1/2 hour as "1/2" and then the 'hour' sign. You do not show this. Is this not done in your deaf community?
Thanks for the help!
- Amy

Dear Amy,
Signing HALF (1/2) and then HOUR is a bit less efficient than signing HALF-HOUR as a single sign. 

Compare the difference between the English sentences:
1. A half of an hour.
2. A half-hour.

By all means though -- do it the way it is commonly done in your local Deaf community.

Just make sure that by "community" you don't mean just the people you personally know but rather how it is signed by the actual majority of the Deaf community. (Which of course requires time and involvement so just do the best you can). 

Sometimes students only know two or three Deaf people and assume that their signing is reflective of the larger community -- when it may or may not be.

I generally use the "1/2" sign as part of sign "an hour and a half." But for the sign "half-hour" done by itself in isolation I'd recommend the version that does a 180 degree spin on the palm starting pointing up and finishing pointing down.
- Dr. Bill

See: An hour-and-a-half:  https://youtu.be/ALyxU9RTYes

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