QUESTION:
An ASL Hero writes:How do I sign military time - 2100 + hours?Toni
ANSWER:
Toni,
You sign it by touching the base of a 9-handshape to the top of your
non-dominant wrist and then moving the 9 handshape to the neutral fingerspelling
location. Then you sign NIGHT. (heh)
Let me change your question. Suppose I asked you: "What is 2100
hours in everyday civilian English?"
You would answer: 9:00PM (or similar).
ASL doesn't use military time. Just as standard American English doesn't
use military time.
However, ASL has something just as cool as military time. You can sign
NIGHT while doing the number 11. (Yes, the number ends up upside
down but that doesn't matter to a skilled ASL signer). Thus there is no
doubt that you are talking about 11:00PM and not 11:00AM.
Midnight is literally signed as an upside-down 12 as the dominant hand in the
NIGHT sign.
- Dr. Bill
p.s. If for some reason you really, really, really need to express the exact
concept of 2100 hours -- I'd do so by providing context:
"ARMY-[military] TIME 21-HUNDRED HOUR"
(The 21-HUNDRED would be the normal sign for 21 snapped into a "C" handshape.) I
might also do the QUOTE/UNQUOTE signs before and after the 21-HUNDRED HOUR to
emphasize that I'm referring to specific type of phraseology.
Notes:
Also see: "Deaf in the Military"
Notes: