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Signs for FAVORITE
Meaning: Preferred before all others of the same kind; a person or thing regarded with special favor or preference.
Learner tip: Not to be confused with similar signs PREFER and TASTE.
Very common usage, often glossed as "KISSFIST" and also sometimes glossed as "LOVE-it". Though it's an adjective in English, it's commonly used as a verb in ASL sentences. Both of them fit the concept, but they don't equate with the speech of parts in a sentence.
E.g. The phrase "Her favorite person..." shows in English whereas it works in ASL as THAT(IX2) PERSON/\ IX1-she KISS-FIST (verb)...
KISSFIST has multiple uses and meanings in contexts. It can be also used as an interjection. E.g. When a person makes a joke that is characteristic of the person's wit or humor, the listener might react KISSFIST. Typically used by native Deaf signers.
Regional variation in some regions in the U.S.
Regional and generational variations in some regions of Canada.
Deaf Culture and tidbits
Favorite Sign
For a warm-up vocabulary exercise one class in ASL 101 (beginners), I asked all students to think of their single favorite sign. Each student thought for a moment and signed their favorite sign, commonly such as "turtle" and "pop-corn". One time, a student boldly asked me in ASL (translated as), "What is your favorite sign?"
Oh! Thousands and thousands of signed words raced in my mind. Impossible to pick one. For the sake of answer, I poorly replied, "ASL". :)