ASL Locations
This page provides a side-by-side comparison of location representations in both ASCII-based and symbol-based writing systems for ASL.
- Location is only one of the five components that make up any ASL sign.
The tables below compare the different symbols used to represent location in several writing systems. The leftmost column shows the symbol used in Symbol Font For ASL.
Abbreviations Used
- SN
- Stokoe Notation
- ISWA *
- SignWriting
- HNS
- Hamburg Notation System
- SF
- SignFont
- ASLP
- ASLphabet
- ASLO
- ASL Orthography
- si5s *
- si5s
- SLIPA
- Sign Language IPA
- ASLSJ
- ASL SignJotting
- SS
- SignScript
* Both SignWriting and si5s use non-linear symbol placement. Because the symbols can be placed anywhere in the writing area, precise location is indicated by the location of the hand or contact symbols relative to the location symbols.
| Location | Gloss | SN | ISWA | HNS | SF | ASLP | ASLO | si5s | SLIPA | ASLSJ | SS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Neutral location |
Ø | | | Q | |||||||
| (`) | Top of Head | ◠ | | | /V | | i:''' | | h | mcn | W |
| (`) | Forehead | ◠ | | | 0 | | i:''' | | f | mcn | W |
| (``) | Side of forehead Temple |
Ȝ | | | / | | i''' | | sf | mbn | E |
| (```) | Back of head | ◠◡ | | | /V | | i''' | | f^f | mbn | E |
| (|``) | Ear | Ȝ | | | 2 | | i'' | | ear | mbo | E |
| (|`) | Eye | ⊔ | | | 2Q | | i' | | ey | mbo | R |
| (|) | Whole face | ◠◡ | | | i | | mco | R |
| Location | Gloss | SN | ISWA | HNS | SF | ASLP | ASLO | si5s | SLIPA | ASLSJ | SS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (|) | Nose | ⊔ | | | 3 | | i: | | n | mco | T |
| (|.) | Nostril | ⊔ | | | 3V | | i, | | nl | mbo | T |
| (...) | Cheek | Ȝ | | | 5 | | i,,, | | ch | mbo | U |
| (..) | Jaw Side of Chin |
◡ | | | 5Z | | i,, | | sc | mbp | U |
| (.) | Mouth | ◡ | | | 6 | | i:,, | | u | mcp | I |
| (.) | Upper Lip | ◡ | | | 6V | | i:,, | | u | mcp | I |
| (.) | Lower Lip | ◡ | | | 6X | | i:,, | | l | mcp | I |
| (.) | Chin | ◡ | | | 6 | | i:,,, | | c | mcp | Y |
| Location | Gloss | SN | ISWA | HNS | SF | ASLP | ASLO | si5s | SLIPA | ASLSJ | SS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| {```} | Under the Chin | ◡ | | | 6Z | | i:,,, | | c | mcp | Y |
| {```} | Neck/Throat | π | | | 9Z | | :'' | | t | mcp | P |
| {``} | Neck (side) | π | | | 8Z | | '' | | t | mbp | P |
| {`} | Shoulder | [] | | | 8 | | '' | | sh | mbq | O |
| {|} | Chest | [] | | | 9 | | : | | m | mcq | O |
| {|.|} | Stomach | [] | | | < | | :,, | | b | mcq | { |
| {|.} | Waist | [] | | | ; | | :,, | | sb | mbq | { |
| {|.} | Legs | [] | | | ;Z | | :,,, | | thg | mbq | { |
| Location | Gloss | SN | ISWA | HNS | SF | ASLP | ASLO | si5s | SLIPA | ASLSJ | SS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| {`||} | Upper Arm | ⇂ | | | )Z | | ''' | | b_c_p | mdq | } |
| {.||} | Elbow | ⇃ | | | )X | | , | | l_b_w | meq | } |
| {...} | Lower Arm | ⇃ | | | "P | | ,, | | f&r&m | aeq | } |
| {..} | Wrist (inside) | ɑ | | | $S | | ,, | | w_r_s | aeqtd | } |
| {..} | Wrist (outside) | ɒ | | | "S | | ,, | | w&r&s | aeqtu | } |
| {.} | Back of Hand | ɒ | | " | | ,,, | p&l&m | aeqtu | } |
Images
Choose a writing system:
* Both SignWriting and si5s represent precise location in 2 dimensions using the placement of contact symbols relative to the location symbol. See the tables above for the location symbols that would be used to help show each precise location listed.