WITH in Sign Language
Learn how to sign "WITH" in ASL (American Sign Language). And watch a time-lapse video of how the toddler articulated "WITH" in the early language acquisition in her ASL-speaking Deaf family members.
ASL sign for "with"
How do you sign for "with" in American Sign Language?
Definition: accompanied by; accompanying; used to say that people or things are together in a place or they are doing something together.
Pronunciation (sign description): Two-handed upright "10" hands (handshape) with its palms facing each other (orientation) apart in space (location) moves toward each other together (movement).
Learner tip: Not to confuse this sign with similar signs such as TOGETHER, GO STEADY.
When to use "WITH" and when not to use it in ASL? For example, you can use it as in "I want to go with you" glossed as "IX-me WANT GO(var) WITH YOU", but you don't need to use it as in "I agree with you" glossed as "IX-me AGREE-with-you" where the ASL verb "AGREE" is inflected into "AGREE-with-you" as one sign (no "with' in it).
Toddler signing "with"
This time-lapse shows how an ASL-speaking kid signs "with" from the earliest emergence to sentence usage.
Notice that the toddler uttered "with" in ASL in various registers in the video above. For example, she signed it two-handed as it should be. At other times, she signed one-handed in all sentences because of holding something in her other hand. In one of the clips, the signed word in the "with mommy" part is very subtle that can be undetectable. This video clip shows a glimpse of example of raw, natural real-world language of Deaf native signers.
Vocabulary
Opposite of "with": WITHOUT.