SEAL in sign language

The English word seal has multiple meanings from a sea mammal to a wax stamp. Hence, different signs and some classifiers, depending on what subjects/objects and verbs are. Here are some examples.

ASL signs for "seal"

Meaning: a substance that isused to join two things together to so as to prevent them from coming apart or to prevent anything from passing between them.

Related words: sealant, sealer, ADHENSIVE.

For a fish-eating aquatic mammal, see another page: SEAL (animal).

Meaning: to fasten or close securely. There are many ways of signing it, depending on what subjects or verbs are. E.g. "seal the envelope", "police sealing off the area", etc. Knowledge of grammar and classifiers may be required for some.

Possible signs: CLOSE, LOCK, FASTEN, BLOCK, STOP, ...

Meaning: to keep it secret; seal one's lips.

E.g. "I promise I will keep it secret."

Meaning: a piece of wax, lead, or other material with an individual design or mark stamped into it, attached to a document as evidence of authenticity. See WAX (fingerspelling).

Deaf Culture and Sign Writing

Seal stamp in Japanese name
"Seal Stamp" stone craved by Jolanta Lapiak, 2010.

While staying in Japan for a few months, I learned how to write my name in Japanese and crave several seal stones in 2008.

Years later, when ASL writing emerged, I finally was able to write my name in ASL writing. Inspired by the Japanese-style seal stamp, my stone was craved with my name sign in ASL writing.

Seal stamp in Japanese name
"Seal Stamp" designed/written by Jolanta Lapiak. Stamp for wax, 2018

When not using the Japanese-style red paste, I created another Western-style seal stamp craved in my name sign in ASL writing coupled with my name in alphabet for wax.

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ASL has its own grammar and structure in sentences that works differently from English. For plurals, verb inflections, word order, etc., learn grammar in the "ASL Learn" section. For search in the dictionary, use the present-time verbs and base words. If you look for "said", look up the word "say". Likewise, if you look for an adjective word, try the noun or vice versa. E.g. The ASL signs for French and France are the same. If you look for a plural word, use a singular word.