Introduction:

"What is a classifier and how is it different from a handshape?"

Handshapes are one of the five fundamental building blocks or parameters of

a sign: Handshape, movement, location, orientation, and nonmanual
markers.

The handshape of a sign is literally the shape (or shapes) in which we form
our hand during the production of a sign.

Classifiers are signs that use handshapes that are associated with specific
categories (classes) of size, shape, or usage.

Over time certain handshapes have been used so often to show certain types
of things, shapes, amounts, or sizes, that when you hold up or use one of
those handshapes people (who know the language) automatically think of a
particular category (or class) of:
Things (objects, people, animals, vehicles, etc.)
Shapes (including outlines, perimeters, surfaces, configurations,
gradients, etc.)
Sizes (amount, largeness, smallness, relative size, volume, etc.)
Usage (movement paths, speed, interactions, etc.)

The commonly recognized handshapes that are typically used to show

different classes of things, shapes, and sizes are called "classifiers."

The movement and placement of a classifier handshape can be used to

convey information about the movement, type, size, shape, location or extent
of the thing to which you are referring. (A referent is that which you are
talking about or that to which you are referring.)

Classifiers can help to clarify your message, highlight specific details, and
provide an efficient way of conveying information.

Classifiers can be used to:

* describe the size and shape of an object.
* represent the object itself.
* demonstrate how the object moves.
* convey how it relates to other objects and or people.

The object being represented (or described) by a classifier must be

"introduced" prior to using the classifier. If I'm going to use a classifier to talk
about Jane, first I'll identify her in some way. (If she is in the room I might point
at her. If she is not in the room I might spell her name or point to where she
usually sits.)

Suppose I want to tell you that my sister "bumped into" her old boyfriend
yesterday? I might start by signing "MY SISTER" with raised eyebrows to see
if you recall my sister. Then after you nod slightly or otherwise indicate that
you know who I'm talking about I might sign, YESTERDAY SHE M-A-L-L CL-1
"walking along, bumped-into" CL-1 FORMER BOYFRIEND.

If I'm talking about throwing a baseball, I'll identify the sport before using a CL-
3-claw to represent the ball.
Classifiers tend to mimic the general shape and movement of the objects to
which they refer. Suppose I were using a CL-O-flat handshape to represent
(the head of) a dinosaur. I would bob the "head" a bit up and down as I
moved it forward to represent how the dinosaur was moving. If using that
same or a similar handshape (perhaps a slightly curved hand) for a cobra, I
would move my arm in such a way as to mimic the cobra's side-to-side dance
(or it's strike).

Classifiers often work well with other classifiers to provide specific details
about a situation, event, person, or thing.

For example, if you want to describe a couch, you can use the sign for
COUCH which is done by signing SIT then using moving both palm-down C-
hands outward. If you wanted to make the point that the couch was lumpy you
could then move your "C" hands in an up and down wavy manner as you
move them to the outside. Or if you wanted to describe the couch as being
very long or being in an L-shape you can move your "C" hands further apart or
in an "L"-movement path.

Classifiers help to paint a more precise picture of what your object looks like
or of what happened. For example, suppose there was a car crash, what
happened to the car? Did the other driver hit you from the side, the front?
What happened to you? Did you hit your head on the steering wheel or fly
through the window?
 * Long, skinny objects: most commonly, a singular person
* Small cylindrical objects: sticks, pencils
* Delineating 2 dimensional objects: poster board, plot of land, circle, diamond (any
CL-1 shape)
* Trajectory paths and or connections: one way street, two way street, intersection, ball
flying midair, a snake moving across a surface, tears
* The way certain animals move: (modification CL-1>CL-X) caterpillar crawling, worm
tunneling, snail crawling

* Related lexicalized classifiers that have become standardized signs:

CATERPILLAR, WORM, MEET, MEET-him/her, BOARD, SIGN-display.
[These are not classifiers. They are signs that have evolved from
classifiers. They are frozen forms. If you unfreeze them and change their
movements they may become classifiers again.]

* Motorized vehicles: car, tractor, helicopter, bus, motorcycle

* Vehicle related events: parking a car, driving erratically, parallel parking, types of car
accidents
* Vehicle locations: "A car was here." "There was a car in this location
CL-3 facing or moving in this direction."
* Groups of 3: 3 people crossing the road
* Feet: duck feet, hiking, walking, position of feet as a person walks
* Liquid spray over large surfaces: spray painting a car or house
* (upright) sails on a boat

* Related lexicalized classifiers that have become standardized signs: car-

ACCIDENT, GARAGE, SHIP-(old_sailing_ship), HIKE, PARKING-LOT,
PARKED [These are not classifiers. They are signs that have evolved
from classifiers. They are frozen forms. If you unfreeze them and change
their movements they may become classifiers again.]

CL-3-(bent/claw/curved) * Small objects gripped by the index, thumb and middle finger: computer mouse,
baseball, bowling ball
* Large beak: commonly used to represent birds of prey, eagle, falcon (if placed in front
of mouth)
* Hands: (modification of CL-5-claw) particularly for scaling or climbing large object, wall,
boulder
* Hands that are stashing: stocking shelves, investing in stocks
* Containers held by index and thumb, requiring ejection of contents (using thumb):
needle, vaccinations

* Parallel lines: stripes, bars, fence, upright boundaries

* People standing in line. The movement of lines of people.
* Objects that flow or leak: bleeding, drool, running water, draining (ear, sink, pipes)
* Objects that stream or extend: curtains, hair, streamers, rainbows
CL-4 * Group of 4: 4 people standing or walking together
* Traffic: (also "CL-5"), certain types of traffic movement, multi-lane freeways
* bandwidth, streaming (video, audio)
A few of the more frequently occurring classifiers:

CL-1
CL-3
CL-4
CL-5
CL-A
CL-B- flat things[roof, flat, wall]
CL-C-[thick things, round pole-like things]
CL-C-(modified)(index and thumb) pepperoni, cookies, campaign buttons
CL-F - small round things: buttons, quarters, tokens, eyeballs, instrumental
classifier for holding on to small things, (also for showing movement of small
flying insects)
CL-G- thin things (or degree of thinness), also "eyelids"
CL-L (bent)-[large, check, card, square. Related concept: EGO
big-headed/egoistic/conceited]
CL-L-[check, card, square]
CL-R Rope-like, braided, rolled,and/or twisted things.
CL-V- legs, a person walking-(upside-down V), two people walking, [stand,
walk-to, lay down, toss-and-turn, dive, jump, skate board, scooter, get up]
CL-V (bent fingers) = a small animal, or a larger animal sitting.
CL-Y Very wide things. A fat person walking. A hippopotamus's mouth.

Some of the more popular classifiers:

CL-1 Things that are (relatively) long and skinny. A pencil, a stick, a person.
CL-A an object in a certain location. A house, a lamp.
CL-3- vehicles, [motorcycle, park a car, row of cars, accident, garage]
CL-4-[CURTAIN]
CL-5-[scads of]
CL-B- flat things[roof, flat, wall]
CL-C-[thick things, round pole-like things]
CL-C-(index and thumb) pepperoni, cookies, campaign buttons
CL-F
CL-G- thin things (or degree of thinness)
CL-L(bent)-[large, big-headed/egoistic/conceited, check, card, square]
CL-L-[check, card, square]
CL-V- legs, a person walking-(upside-down V), two people walking, [stand,
walk-to, lay down, toss-and-turn, dive, jump, skate board, scooter, get up]
CL-V (bent fingers) = a small animal, or a larger animal sitting.
CL-Y Very wide things. A fat person walking (WADDLE). A hippopotamus's
mouth.
Classifiers
ASL linguistics describes several different classes of classifiers. Below
explains each of the classifier classes with some examples.

Semantic Classifier (SCL)

Semantic classifiers are pro-forms that function as "pronoun" that
replaces a noun (or as noun and verb combined). Some examples of
semantic classifiers are: cl-1 (e.g. a person), cl-2 (e.g. two persons), cl-
2-upsidedown (a standing person), cl-2bent (e.g. an animal), etc.

Descriptive Classifier (DCL)

Descriptive classifiers are used to describe a shape, a size, a texture, or
a pattern.

Instrumental Classifier (ICL)

The handshapes of instrumental classifiers describe how an object is
handled. E.g. using a tool, holding a book, cutting with a knife, pushing
a button, lifting a jar lid, pulling a nail, etc.

Element Classifiers (ECL)

These classifiers use both the handshapes and movements to describe
the property and movement of the elements of fire, water, and air.

Locative Classifier (LCL)

Two types of locative classifiers are 1) location and 2) pathline.
Locative classifier is used to indicate a location of something, or the
position relative to another. It is also used as a pathline of the object
and its movement and/or distance.

Body Classifier (BCL)

Body classifier uses a direct contact with most of the upper frontal part
of the body to refer to a part of the body.

Body Part Classifier (BPCL)

Body part classifier (BPCL) is a symbol that refers to a part of the body
beyond the frame of signing area -- e.g. legs, back, feet, etc.

For example, you utter the ASL word # FOOT and then use its classifier
(e.g. the passive hand) to represent the foot.
For a brain or a heart, you use the classifier in the mid-air space.

Plural classifier (PCL)

Plural classifier is a plural symbol of a noun or subject. E.g. CL-open-
hand, horizontal, palm down for "many birds flying in the sky".

Combinations of Classifiers
It's not uncommon to find a combination of classifiers for a noun or
subject. For example, a classifier can be combined with plural and
semantic.