1. Classifiers
ASL II

2. What is a classifier?
Represents a noun and indicates the location and possible action of that noun.
Size and shape specifiers (SASSes)
Indicates something about the size, shape, texture, etc. and location of a noun.

3. Example: (pronoun) The red car pulled up behind me.
CL:3(wh)”car” CL:3”car” RED “pull up behind my car”
Three cars were pulled up at the intersection.
CL:3”3 cars pull up at intersection”

4. Example: (adjective) Sign this form, please.
CL:H “sign name on non-dominant hand:B” PLEASE.
The round table is large enough for four people.
CL: (2h)C “big round table” CL: (2h)XX “4 people sitting at table”

5. Example: (verb)
The two of us went into the restaurant and sat opposite each other.
CL:2 (or V) “walk into restaurant” RESTAURANT, CL: (2h)XX “sit across each other”.
We all sat facing the front of the room.
IX-loc ROOM FRONT CL:scrunch 4 “sit facing front of room”.

6. Singular Classifiers *must be repeated for pluralization:
By use of both hands
By repeating the classifier in alternating, or orderly fashion
By using a “sweep” to indicate many in a row.

7. Plural: Use a specific number classifier (CL:2, CL:3, CL:4, etc.)
“many” classifier (CL:4, CL:5) that represent many people, cats, cattle, rocks, insects, shoes, chairs, etc., either stationary or moving orderly, or moving in a disorderly manner (wiggling of the classifer)
The “class” or “group” classifiers (CL: (2h)C)

8. Physical characteristics of action:
Pick-up a coin (PICK-UP CL:F “coin”)
Pick-up a cup (PICK-UP CL:C “cup”)
Pick-up a rock (PICK-UP CL:scrunch 5 “rock”)
Pour-from a cup (POUR-FROM CL:C “cup”)
Pour-from a bucket (POUR-FROM CL: (2h)C “bucket”)

9. Sharing common features
Fence, cage, rainbow, eyelashes (CL:4)
Fire, waves, traffic, war (CL:5)

10. Pronominal Classifiers
Some classifiers can be used as pronouns and can replace nouns after the noun is named.

11. For example: CL:1 Upright person or animal
CL:3 Vehicle such as a car, bus, bicycle, truck, boat, submarine
CL:A Stationary object such as a house, vase, statue, lamp, company, business
CL:B Flat object such as a piece of paper, magazine, newspaper

12. Location of a noun The car is here CL:3 “car here”
The car is over there.
CL:3 “car over there”

13. Locational Relationships
Two vehicles next to each other.
CL: (2h)3 “2 cars next to each other”
Two vehicles, one in front of the other.
CL: (2h)3 “One car in front of other car”
A cup on a table.
CL:C “cup on” CL:B “table”
A glass under a table.
CL:C “glass under” CL:B “table”

14. Adding movement to pronominal classifiers
One vehicle passing another.
CL:3 “right car” CL:3 “left car passing right car”
Two vehicles colliding head on.
CL: (2h)3 “cars crashing into each other”
A person diving off a platform.
CL:V “person dives off” CL:B “platform”
A cup falling off a table.
CL:C “cup falls off” CL:B “table”

15. Now you try it!
That little boy over there picked up the rock and threw it at the girl.
BOY LITTLE THERE CL:5 “pick up rock and throw” GIRL.
The herd of cows scattered all over the place.
COWS CL: (2h)5 “scatter everywhere”.
My brother has rows and rows of bowling trophies on his book shelf.
BROTHER MY HAVE TROPHY BOWL CL:A “rows and rows” CL:B “shelf”.