2074: Sign Language for 'Shut Up' Aug 19, 2020

Lots of languages have phrases meaning "shut up", relating to mouths, and in American Sign Language, this is not so different. Even though sign languages by nature do not involve speaking, the cultural connotations to (vocal) speech as communication led to the association with the sign for 'shut' covering one's mouth, and likewise the sign for 'shh' is the index finger in front of the lips. Of course, not all or even most signs in ASL—nor any other sign language for that matter—are related visually to the meaning they convey.

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