ASL is a "living language." It evolves.
The sign "snowboarding" certainly evolves. One of
the more recent and sensible versions I've seen is this "bent hand"
version. The sign still moves forward and down as if
sliding down a mountain. Special thanks to Misha (CODA,
Sacramento / Lake Tahoe region) for showing me this version. I'm a
geek but am fortunate & grateful to have cool friends and students who
go out and do fun things and
tell me stories later so I can at least fantasize about someday
being like them. (It is good to have goals.)
-- Dr. Bill
Actually, now that I look at the pics (above) I'm pretty sure Misha
does the sign about six inches lower. Anyway, you get the
point. Do two quick movements forward and down (at an angle -- as if
you were going down a mountain eh?)
SNOWBOARD (older version) (not recommended)
This sign is done similar to the sign for "ski" but you use "flat hands"
instead of "x" handshapes.
Hold your right and left hands out in front of you. One hand in front of
the other both hands palms-down. The hands are pointing down at angle as if
representing feet on an imaginary board on a hill.
Your fingertips are pointing down the hill as if they were your toes.
Using a quick movement, slide your hands "down the hill" a bit and
repeat, (bring them back up part way then forward and down
SNOWBOARDING (not recommended)
The "original" version of snowboarding was to sign "SNOW" and then
Let's go through that step by step. First of all the sign for SNOW:SURFING:
The fingers flutter as you move the hands down and side to side.
Next, sign "surfing" downhill. If you are right handed
hold your left "flat-hand" (like a B-Hand) in front of you, palm down.
Put your right-upside-down-V-hand on top of the B-Hand (as if standing
on a snowboard). Then quickly move both hands forward-down a couple
inches, then back up and forward-down again as if showing a person going
down hill on a board.
You can learn
American Sign Language (ASL) online at American Sign Language University ™
ASL resources by Lifeprint.com © Dr. William Vicars