Webmaster's note: In the summer of 2005 I spent 6 weeks in London learning BSL, I was extremely confused about the differences between Great Britain, United Kingdom, and England. Here is an attempt at a clarification: If you look at the map above, you will see two huge islands side by side. The western island is Ireland; the eastern island is Great Britain. Ireland is composed of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland to the south, the latter is not part of the United Kingdom and has its own webpage. Great Britain is composed of England, Scotland, and Wales. The indenting below follows these distinctions.

Britain (Great Britain)

(1) (2h)[5], POs down, FOs away, are held at waist level and move up and down. For an animated gif of this sign, see BristishSignLanguage.com - Britain. (< HERE or "it rains a lot".) (2) G-B in British fingerspelling², that is, (2h)[S], DH strikes NDH on thumb side from above with little finger side.³

ENGLAND (England)

(2h)[1], POs > signer, but forming right angles so that FTs can point outward diagonally. DH slides its index finger along NDH's index several times.⁴ (< the index finger is an "E" in British fingerspelling.) For an animated gif of this sign, see BritishSignLanguage.com - England. Please note: The sign [bC] or [bC dot], PO towards, FO > NDS, strikes chin is not used in BSL, although I have seen it reported as such.

Bath

[bO], PO up, FO away, pill rolls similar to the hearing gesture for cash.⁶

Birmingham

[B], PO > NDS, FO up, opens and closes like "yakity yak", while moving > DS across mouth.⁶

Blackpool

[A], FO up, rubs palm from ear to chin once.⁷ (< BLACK.)

Bradford

(2h)[O^], touch FTs + (2h)[H], POs down, FTs place DH nails on top of NDH nails.⁶ (< B-F.)

Brighton

Shake out [5] hand limply.⁴

Bristol

[L^] moves diagonally down > NDS, as if putting a pump nozzle in the gas line opening.⁶ (< PETROL.)

Cambridge

[bC], PO away, FO up + (2h)[H], POs ><, FOs away, moves away in an upward arc.⁶ (< C + BRIDGE.)

Carlisle

[V], PO down, touches forearm PO down, and moves up in short start and stop motions.⁴

Cornwall

[bC], PO away, FO up, + [B], PO away, FO up, descends.⁶ (< C + WALL.)

Doncaster

[C] touches FTs to NDS shoulder, then DS hip.⁸

Derby

[bC] strikes [1], PO > DS, FO up, twice.⁹ (< D-D.)

Derbyshire (county)

[bC] strikes [1], PO > DS, FO up + THEREABOUTS.⁹ (< D-D.)

Dorset (county)

[bC] strikes [1], PO > DS, FO up, twice.⁹ (< D-D.)

Durham

(2h)[V: or 3:], POs down, FOs away, DH is held higher.⁶ (< logo of university there)

Essex (county)

(1) [W], PO > signer, FO > NDS, sweeps from shoulder area to shoulder area but away from body in an upward arc. (< Essex coat of arms that shows three scimitars. See Essex coat of arms.) (2) [1] touches index finger of [5], PO away, FO up + (2h)[1], FOs diagonally up, cross at midfingers.⁶

Exeter (also Leeds)

(2h)[bC], POs down, FOs away, descend slightly twice.⁴

Gatwick Airport

(2h)[S], POs ><, FOs away, DH strikes NDH from above + (2h)[5], FOs diagonally up, interlink FTs + [Y], PO down, lands on upturned palm.⁶ (< G-W and AIRPORT.)

Hampshire (county)

(2h)[B], DH PO down, FO away, slides across upturned palm of NDH + (2h)[I], NDH PO up, DH PO down, cross at midfingers.⁹ (< H-S.)

Hertfordshire (county)

(1) (2h)[5:], touch thumbs to temples and sweep up and out like antlers + [5], PO down, FO away, circles horizontally. (< the Hertfordshire coat of arms, which shows two standing harts and one recumbent on a shield. See Civic heraldry of England and Wales-Hertfordshire.) (2) (2h)[B], DH PO down, FO away, slides across upturned palm of NDH 2x.⁶ (< H-H.)

High Wycombe

(1h) or (2h)[B^], POs ><, FOs up, move upwards + (2h)[5], FOs diagonally up, interlink FTs twice.⁶ (< HIGH and W-W.)

Ipswich

[open 8], PO away, FO up, repeated closes to an [8].⁶

Lancaster

[1], PO down, FO away, strikes palm of [B], PO up, FO > DS + [bC], PO away, FO up. (< L-C.)

Leeds

(2h)[bC], POs down, FOs away, descend slightly twice.⁴

Liverpool

[L], PO > NDS, FO away, twists repeatedly at wrist.⁴

London

[1] circles ear.⁴ (< NOISE) For a film of this sign, go to DictionaryOfSign.com: BSL, London.

Brixton

(2h)[O^], touch FTs + (2h)[1], FOs diagonally up, cross at midfingers.⁶ (< B-X.)

Catford

FT of [B] stroke corner of mouth but flexing, leaving the PO undisturbed.⁶ (< CAT.)

City AIrport

(2h)[1], POs ><, FOs up, alt. rise and fall (showing tall buildings) + [Y], PO down, lands on upturned palm.⁶ (< signed literally.)

Clapham

[bC], PO away, FO up, moves forward then > DS the forward again.⁹ (< C-C.)

Covent Garden

[bC] + [Bb] strikes thumb side at NDS collar bone.⁶ (< "C" + GARDEN.)

Heathrow Airport

(1) (2h)[B], DH PO down, FO away, slides across upturned palm of NDH twice + [Y], PO down, lands on upturned palm.⁶ (2) (2h)[B], DH PO down, FO away, slides across upturned palm of NDH + (2h)[5], FOs diagonally up, interlink FTs + [Y], PO down, lands on upturned palm. (< H-H or H-W and AIRPORT.)

Islington

[open 8], PO away, FO up, repeated closes to an [8].³

King's Cross

[5:] strikes head at DS + (2h)[1], POs ><, FOs up make an "X".⁶ (< KING + X.)

Lewisham

[L], PO > NDS, FO away, twists repeatedly at wrist.⁹

Notting Hill

[H], PO down, FO away, strikes palm of [B], PO up, FO > DS twice + [B], PO diagonally down, FO diagonally away, hands moves up diagonally.⁶ (< N-N + HILL.)

Paddington

[bO], PO > NDS, FO up, strikes FT of [1], PO > DS, FO up + index finger touches thumb of [5], PO away, FO up + [bC] strikes [1], PO > DS, FO up twice.⁹ (< P-A-D-D.)

Soho

[A], FO up, rubs palm from ear to chin once.⁷ [< PROSTITUTE. Old sign, not used much anymore, since the area was cleaned up.]

Stratford (not "on Avon")

[I], PO T, FO up, circles CCW and strikes chin 2x.⁶

Uxbridge

[1] touches little finger of [5], PO away, FO up + (2h)[1], FOs diagonally up, cross at midfingers + [B^] arcs over [B], PO down, FO > DS.⁶ (< U-X + BRIDGE.)

Victoria

[bX], PO > NDS, FO up, makes small horizontal circles.⁶ (< Queen Victoria's habit of waving to the crowd with a handkerchief.)

Waterloo

[bO] or [F], PO > face, FO up, strokes side of mouth horizontally + L-O-O, but using the one-handed alphabet, like we have in America.⁶ (< WATER + ASL L-O-O.)

Westminster Abbey

(2h)[B], held in roof position, hinge out and in 2x + [1] touches thumb of [5], PO away, FO up + (2h)[O^], taps FTs together + [1] touches index finger of [5], PO away, FO up + Index finger touches dorsal side (back hand) of NDH [B], PO away, FO up, whre index finger and thumb join and then the index travels downwards.⁶ (< ROOF + BSL spelling of "Abbey".)

White Chapel

[8] touches chest, then moves away while opening + (2h)[B], press palms together, FOs up, move slightly to and fro.⁶ (< WHITE and CHAPEL.)

Long Eaton

(2h)[A], POs ><, FOs away, DH is behind NDH and both separate along their common line + [1] touches FT of [1].⁹ (< LONG and "E".)

Luton

[L], PO away, FO up.⁹ (< American "L".)

Midlands (central counties of England)

[open 8] taps upturned palm of [B].⁴ (< primary meaning of "middle.")

Newcastle

(2h)[V], POs ><, FOs up, fingers move to a peak while wg.⁶ (< CASTLE.)

Nottingham

[H], PO down, FO away, circles upturned palm and lands as [M].⁹ (< slight varient of N-M.)

Oxford

Index finger touches ring finger of [5] with ring finger extended + (2h)[1], POs ><, FOs up make an "X".⁶ (< BSL fingerspelling O-X.)

Peterborough

[1], PO down, FO > NDS, circles twice under nose and strikes it at the top of its circle.⁴ (< the primary meaning of "posh.")

Plymouth

[bO], PO > NDS, FO up, strikes FT of [1], PO > DS, FO up + [V:] circles mouth with FTs.⁶ (< P ORAL.)

Sheffield

(2h)[H], FOs diagonally away, FOs ><, DH saws at NDH from above.⁴ (< the primary meaning of "cutlery", which is manufacture there.)

Stanstead Airport

(2h)[I], NDH PO up, DH PO down, cross at midfingers twice + [Y], PO down, lands on upturned palm.⁶ (< S-S and AIRPORT.)

Wolverhampton

[5^] is held at nose and moves diagonally down while closing to an [O^].⁴ (< the primary meaning of "wolf.")

SCOTLAND (Alba)

[S] arm is held with elbow at side with fist close to chest and arm squeezes against chest 2x as if playing bagpipes.⁴ (< bagpipes.) For an animated gif of this sign, see BritishSignLanguage.com -Scotland.

Edinburgh

E-D, that is, [1] touches index finger of [5], PO > DS, FO up, then [bC] touches root and tip of index finger of [5], PO > DS, FO up.²&6

Glasgow

(2h)[S], DH strikes NDH on thumb side from above with little finger side + [5] smacks palm against knuckles of [S] from the DS.⁶ (< British fingerspelling G and almost a W, except a pun is made on the fact that two fighters knock heads is called "a Glasgow kiss.")

WALES (Cymru)

(1) [W:], PO > NDS, FO up, is held on DS and descends slightly. For an animated gif of this sign, see BritishSignLanguage.com - Wales. (2) [W], PO away, FO up, is held on NDS and descends slightly while bending FT.⁴ (3) [W], PO > signer, touches chin at FTs and moves away from signer.¹

Cardiff

(1) [C], PO > NDS, FO away, taps upturned palm of [B] twice.⁴

Swansea

[H dot], is held at mouth and opens and closes like a beak.⁴ (< BSL sign for "swan.")(2) C-F, that is, [bC], PO away, FO up, then (2h)[N], POs down, FOs diagonally away, DH strikes NDH from above.²&6

NORTHERN IRELAND (Ulster)

(1) [Bb], PO > NDS, FO up, moves upwards + [V:], PO down, FO away, taps on [S], PO down, FO away.⁴ (< BSL modulated sign for NORTH and POTATO.) (2) [Bb], PO > NDS, FO up, moves upwards + [3:], PO down, FO away, circles above [S], PO down, FO > DS, and lands.⁵ (< BSL modulated sign for NORTH and POTATO.) (3) N-I in British fingerspelling, that is, [H] slaps underside of FT against upturned palm + index finger touches middle finger of [open 8].²&5 (4) [Bb], PO > NDS, FO up, moves upwards + [8] held at shoulder blade moves away slightly and flicks up to [open 8] several times.⁵ (< BSL modulated sign for NORTH and SHAMROCK. The older version of this signs had the handshape change from [O] to [W], which makes more sense in terms of the shape of a shamrock. Some Northern Irish don't like the sign because they say it looks like you're "flicking away fleas", but it has not been generally rejected.)

Belfast

(1) (2h)[5], POs down, FOs away, are held at waist level and move up and down. For an animated gif of this sign, see BristishSignLanguage.com - Britain. (< HERE or "it rains a lot".) (2) (2h)[O^] knock FT together + (2h)[5], POs down, FOs away, are held at waist level and move up and down.⁵ (< British B + HERE or "it rains a lot".) (3) (2h)[8], POs > signer, FOs ><, touch chest with middle FTs and flick against chest moving towards (not away from) respective sides.¹⁰

1. Signs around the world: Countries [Videotape]. Burtonsville, MD: Sign Media.

2. To see animated images of British fingerspelling, go to

3. Roger Beeson, native BSL user.

4. Brian, D. (Ed.). Dictionary of British Sign Language / English. London: Faber and Faber.

5. Ann McAllister, native BSL user.

6. David Moller, native BSL tutor (Am. Eng. teacher).

7. Derek Rodger, BSL user.

8.

9. Derby City Council, Adult Community Education, Sign Language Stories, B.S.L. Stage 1, Tape 1 / Stories 1-30. [videotape]

10. Native signer informant - Sinead Braiden, 1998.

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