FIREFIGHTER in sign language

A child signing firefighter with the firefigher hat while sitting on the firetruck — Image credit: Jolanta Lapiak, 2016.

This word entry contains the ASL sign for "firefighter", baby signing "firefighter", a storytime book with the preschooler, and a Deaf bragging rights snippet.

ASL sign for FIREFIGHTER

How to sign "firefighter" in American Sign Language (ASL)?

Definition: A person whose job is to extinguish fires.

Pronunciation (sign description): Dominant "B" hand (handshape) with the palm facing out (orientation) taps twice (movement) with the back of the hand on the forehead (location).

Handshape rhymes (language play): FIREFIGHTER + BOOTS.

Related signs: FIREFIGHTING, FIRE, FIRETRUCK.

Baby signing FIREFIGHTER

Watch the time-lapse video of how the child acquires the sign FIREFIGHTER on the phonological level from baby to age 3. At age 3, she was able to read the word FIRE as well as fingerspelled it loud.

In the beginning, the palm orientation faced in and the location was on the side of the head. As the toddler's language developed, the palm orientation eventually faced out on the forehead.

In this case study, watch how this child develops the sign FIREFIGHTER on the phonological level from baby to age 3. At age 3, she was able to read the word FIRE as well as fingerspelled it loud.

Reading and storytelling with toddler

The video shows a mother and her three-year-old (3;6) preschooler reading a book "Touch and Feel: Fire Engine" about the firefighter. Fun and cute kid signing with her little hands.

For learners, practice and develop your receptive skill by watching conversations in the video with English subtitles.

Deaf Bragging Rights

Georgia fire captain reciting the Pledge of Allegiance in sign language — Screenshot from PBS NewsHour, January 20, 2021.

2021 Jan 20: Georgia Fire Captain Andrea M. Hall recited the Pledge of Allegiance in ASL sign language at the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris in Washington, D.C. She is a coda (a child of deaf parent) and is a president of the International Federation of Firefighters.

Usage/Grammar

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