Your next step in SASL is to learn to count. Counting from one to ten (i.e. cardinal numbers) looks like this (click on the image to view a larger version):
And you can probably guess what '10' (ten) looks like ...
Now practice counting from 0 to 10 in succession with one hand. Remember to pay attention to the correct hand shape.
See if you can count as rapidly as in this animation:
Self-test:
When you feel you're ready, try to indicate the following numbers using the South African One-Hand Cardinal Numbers:
- 20
- 317
- 4095
- 1 million (1 000 000)
Ordinal Numbers:
Ordinal numbers are used to indicate a position e.g. I was 10th in a race or the 4th of March. South African Ordinal Numbers look like this (click on the image to view a larger version):
The signs for the ordinal numbers are exactly the same as those for cardinal numbers. The big difference is that now you're adding a movement in space to the hand shape to indicate that this is an ordinal number. How do you do this? As shown by arrows - you indicate the cardinal number and then turn your hand around while still making the hand shape for the number.
Cardinal on Ordinal Numbers in Space:
As with the alphabet, when counting in sign language your hand position is the same as that for spelling the alphabet - in front of your body, just above your shoulder with your elbow and upper arm tucked close to your side.
Self-test:
Now for something a little trickier - see if you can indicate the following concepts by using both the cardinal, ordinal and alphabet signs (from Lesson 1):
- R24
- 23km
- 2cm
- 67ml
- 10th
- 2nd
Now that you've learnt to spell and count using sign language, its time to learn how to converse in SASL.