Stephanie from Houston Texas writes:Question: Is there a sign for scars?Stephanie,
In general you drag the fingertip of an index finger across the bodypart where the scar is located.
In ASL the fingernail (or a thumbnail) is sometimes used to represent a blade or scalpel.
So, when signing "SCAR" make sure that as you drag the finger such a way as that the fingernail (if sharpened up) would be cutting the skin.
If you drag the tip of the index finger of an "X" hand it means "scratch."
Typical usage would include: PRO.3 HAVE SCAR-(location: "right cheek")
This would be interpreted as "He (third person pronoun) has a scar on his right cheek."
Multiple scars in the same area could be shown by dragging a "curved 5" handhape (claw) across the area where there are multiple scars.
SCAR (general and/or on cheek) or "a cut on the cheek" / "it sliced the cheek."
SCRATCH (a scratch on the cheek)
Note: If you mean scratch in general, do it on the back of the non-dominant hand.
Notes: