HELICOPTER in sign language

"How do you say 'helicopter' in American Sign Language?"

Meaning: an aircraft without wings, that has long rotating blades that go round very fast on top and hovers or moves vertically and horizontally.

Sign description: Dominant "5" handshape shakes on the top of the passive "1" handshape.

Phonological variation: Dominant "3" handshape on the top of the passive "1" handshape.

Also variation: dominant "3" or "5" handshape on the top of the passive upright "10" (or thumb-up) handshape.

Related signs: DRONE, AIRPLANE.

Toddler signing "helicopter"

The toddler Juli at age 2 talked about a toy that fell down, "The helicopter fell down!"

a drawing of the helicopter by kid

When visiting at her friend's house, they played with a toy helicopter a bit. Next, she (age 5;6) drew a picture of the helicopter.

Stories

"... I am a US Marine stationed onboard a helicopter airfield at Camp Pendleton, Ca. Working around these aircraft makes communication difficult while trying to troubleshoot some problems. With the use of your site, I have been able to teach some of our mechs and pilots some simple signs to make understanding more clearer than to yell at each other over the roar of the engines. ..." -- MA Villanueva, Staff Sergeant of Marines & Devoted Father. Email, June 23, 2000, USA.

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