YELLOW in sign language

This word entry contains ASL sign for "yellow", how baby acquires the handshape "Y", and related signwords.

ASL sign for YELLOW — Printable

ASL sign for YELLOW

How do you sign "yellow" in American Sign Language?

Definition: of the color between green and orange in the spectrum; colored like ripe lemons, bananas or egg yolks.

Pronunciation/articulation: Dominant upright "Y" handshape twists at the wrist twice (or more if 'shake-like').

Kid signing "yellow"

In child development, toddlers can grasp the idea of colors at about 18 months. When asking, they may point to the color in a set of colors. Most kids can name at least one color by the age of 3 (regardless of deaf or hearing children, manually speaking or vocally speaking).

The time-lapse shows how the ASL-speaking baby acquires the ASL word "yellow". It looks easy to a naive eye, but in a close lens, the phonological process with the thumb and the pinkie takes a bit longer for babies in general.

In the phonological process, the handshape "A" is one of a few unmarked handshapes that emerges early. Notice that the baby Juli used this handshape (error) in YELLOW which emerged at about 1;7. At age 2;7, she seemed to be conscious of the handshape error. The "Y" handshape hadn't been formed yet. At age 2;8, she consciously attampted to form the "Y" handshape. During the transition, I observed the "t-i" handshape sometimes prior to forming the "Y" handshape at ease. From age 2;10, the full "Y" handshape emerged.

Every child develops at different pace and with different strategies; however, the process is similar across a timeline or time frames in language acquisition.

Vocabulary

Similar movement and location but different handshapes: GREEN and BLUE.

Related signs: COLOR. If you mix yellow with red, you get ORANGE.

Usage/Grammar

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Written ASL

[Note: ASL writing is not an official standard. This sign language writing remains in a state of open space to allow room for experiment, evolution, and improvement.]

ASL writing for deep/bold YELLOW

ASL written digit for YELLOW.

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