QUESTION 0003:
How do you write the sign for "TALK" in ASL? It is a directional verb. How do you show the directionality?

ANSWER 0003:
The arrows determine the direction of the sign. In this case, the fingers are pointing up, but the direction fluctuates depending on the arrows. Diagonal arrows show diagonal "directionality".

QUESTION 0004:
I don't understand how to write directionality.

ANSWER 0004:
OK. See the diagrams to the right and then ask me more questions!

QUESTION 0005:
But how do you write a hand that is pointing up, but the movement is not going up, it is going forward instead?

ANSWER 0005:

In the diagram below look at the first one to the left. The hand is pointing forward. You know this because there is a break at the finger joint. That little space or break means pointing forward because the hand is parallel with the floor.

The second handshape shows a hand that is parallel with your chest. It is pointing up. So is the third handshape. And the fourth hand is pointing forward, parallel with the floor.

Then the movement symbols show the movement forward (single stemmed) or up (double stemmed).

Reading the diagram above from left to right...

1. The first sign shows a hand pointing forward and moving forward.

2. The second one shows a hand pointing up, but moving forward.

3. The third shows a hand pointing up and also moving up.

4. The fourth shows a hand that is pointing forward but moving up.

In the above, the hand is pointing up, but the arrows are moving forward or back. The hand, in other words, is parallel with the wall, while the movement is parallel with the floor. Two spatial planes intertwined. Don't worry! You will learn this with practice! Children read it quickly, so so can adults - ha!