Indigenous signs for cities in the United States (of America)

National flagDavid Bar-TzurNational flag

map of country

Flag: World flag database.
Map: Maps.com - "search" for country, then "Digital Map Graphics".

For a quick, interesting resource for facts about this and other countries,
try Mystic Planet - The New Age directory of Planet Earth.


Explanation of glossing system used
(to understand how I describe the signs in this dictionary)

Select city by state or use your web browser's "Find" command for city name:

Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut
Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois
Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisana Maine Maryland
Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska
Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota
Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota
Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia
Wisconsin Wyoming

stained glass ballBYUFanatic. (2007, November 22). US States Signs (Version 2).signing handsThis video covers all of the references (signs and fingerspelling) for the 50 states currently known by the author (me). I picked up these signs from a number of varying sources (including residents scattered across the US). If you see a sign as incorrect, or if you are aware of additional signs not used in this video, please let me know and I'll add it in the future!

Alabama
A-L-A.

Alaska
(1) [A], PO away, FO up, draws thumb across the top of the head > DS and slides down the side of the head while changing to a [4]. For a similar animation, see
ASL Pro: Alaska.
(2) [4], PO away, FO up, slides down the side of the head. (3) A-K.

Arizona
(1) A-DRY, that is [A], PO > NDS, is drawn across chin > DS. For a QuickTime movie of this sign, see
ASL browser - Arizona
. (3) [A], PO > NDS, FO up, slides down ND of mouth, then DS. (3) A-R-I-Z. (4) A-Z.
Phoenix
[P], PO down, moves > DS, then down while changing to [X], like the shape of a "7". For a QuickTime movie of this sign, see ASL browser - Phoenix.

Arkansas
A-R-K.

California
(1) [ILY] touches index finger to earlobe and twists while travelling downward and closing to [Y]. For an animated gif of this sign, see
American Sign Language browser - California.
(2) [ILY] flicks index finger against earlobe. (3) [open 8] touches middle finger to earlobe and twists away. (4) [ILY] touches index finger to earlobe and twists while travelling downward. (5) C-A-L.
Los Angeles
L-A.

Colorado
(1) COLOR + D-O. (2) [C], PO away, FO up, moves in upward arcs along the horizontal ND arm while tapping against it. (< the mountainous landscape.) (3) C-O-L-O.

Connecticut
C-O-N-N.

Delaware
(1) D-E-L. (2) D-FIRST.

District of Columbia
D-C.
Washington
FTs of [W], touch shoulder then circles while moving forward + D-C. For a QuickTime movie of this sign, see
ASL browser - Washington, D.C.
.

Florida
(1) F-L-A. (2) F-L-A in a small circular motion. (3) F-TAN, that is [F], PO away, FO up, ravels down check.

Georgia
G-A.
Atlanta
(1) [A], touches thumb to NDS shoulder blade, then DS. For a QuickTime movie of this sign, see
ASL browser - Atlanta
. (2) [A] touches palm to NDS shoulder, then DS waist.

Hawaii
[H], PO towards, circles face. For a QuickTime movie of this sign, see
ASL browser - Hawaii
. (2) (2h)[B], POs down, FOs > NDS are both held on NDS and wave as in the hula, then both hands move to DS and perform the symmetric movement. (3) H-A-W-A-I-I with PO > signer. (4) H-I.

Idaho
(1) I-D-A-H-O. (2) POTATO, that is, [V:], PO down, circles around [S], PO down, then strikes. (3) I-D-A.

Illinois
I-L-L.
Chicago
[C], PO away, moves > DS, then down, like the shape of a "7". For a QuickTime movie of this sign, see
ASL browser - Chicago
.

Indiana
(1) [I], PO down, moves > DS, then down, like the shape of a "7". For a QuickTime movie of this sign, see
ASL browser - Indiana
. (2) [F] touches FT to cheek and face several times while ascending slightly. For a QuickTime movie of this sign, see ASL browser - Native American. (< "Indian".) (3) I-N-D.
Indianapolis
(1) [F] touches FT to cheek and face several times while ascending slightly. For a QuickTime movie of this sign, see ASL browser - Native American. (2) [I], PO down, FO away. moves > DS and then down like a "7".

Iowa
I-O-W-A.

Kansas
(1) K-S. (2) K-A-N-S-A-S. (3) K-A-N. (4) K-A-N-S.

Kentucky
K-Y.

Louisianna
(1) L-A. (2) [L] touches NDS shoulder, then changes to an [A] and touches DS waist.
New Orleans
[O], PO away, nods while brushing [B], PO > DS. For a QuickTime movie of this sign, see
ASL browser - New Orleans
.

Maine
(1) M-A-I-N-E. (2) [F] touches DS shoulder and then pulls away. (3) [F] taps DS shoulder. (4) [F] runs down chest from shoulder several times with a small movement. (< suspenders?)

Maryland
M-D.
Baltimore
[B], PO > NDS, FO away, moves down slightly, then hops > DS. For a QuickTime movie of this sign, see
ASL browser - Baltimore
.

Massachusetts
M-A-S-S.
Boston
[B], PO away from signer, moves > DS then descends. For a QuickTime movie of this sign, see
ASL browser - Boston
.

Michigan
(1) M-I-C-H. (2) DH [1] traces tje outline of NDH [B], PO away, FO up. (< shape of lower peninsula.) (3) NDH [B modified by holding thumb against side of hand but not against palm], PO > signer, FO > DS, is held above DH [B], PO > signer, FO up, like a map of the upper and lower peninsulas.
Detroit
[D], PO away, moves > DS, then down, like the shape of a "7". For a QuickTime movie of this sign, see
ASL browser - Detroit
.

Minnesota
M-I-N-N.

Mississippi
M-I-S-S.

Missouri
M-O.

Montana
(1) Use both (2h)[M], POs away, FOs up, to draw an "M", begin at the bottom of the "v" in the letter M, go diagonally then go straight down. (2) (2h)[M], POs away, FOs up, touch FTs then separate and descend. (< the squared-off shape of the state.) (3) M-O-N-T.

Nebraska
N-E-B.

Nevada
(1) N-E-V. (2) N-V. (3) N-PROGRAM. (4) N,V-PROGRAM.

New Hampshire
N-H.

New Jersey
N-J.

New Mexico
(1) N-M. (2) NEW MEXICO, where the scond sign is an [B' that brushes against DS corner of mouth.

New York
(1) [Y], PO down, slides back and forth 2x on NDH [B], PO up. (< the sign NEW and the handshape [Y].) For an animated gif of this sign, see
American Sign Language browser - New York.
(2) [ILY], PO down, slides back and forth 2x on NDH [B], PO up.
Buffalo
[Y] is held with palm to forehead and twists at wrist while maintaining contact. For a QuickTime movie of this sign, see ASL browser - Buffalo N.Y..

Manhattan
DH [Y], rubs palm 2x against [B], PO up, mouth "Manhattan". For a QuickTime movie of this sign, see ASL browser - Manhattan.

New York (City)
DH [Y], rubs palm 2x against [B], PO up. For an animated gif of this sign, see American Sign Language browser - New York.

North Carolina
(1) N-C. (2) NORTH C.

North Dakota
(1) N-D. (2) NORTH D.

Ohio
O-H-I-O.

Oklahoma
(1) O-K-L-A. (2) O-K.

Oregon
(1) "O". (2) O-WASHINGTON. Not in favor. (3) O-R. (4) O-R-E. (5) O-R-E-G-O-N.

Pennsylvania
(1) P-A. (2) P-E-N-N.
Philadelphia
[P], PO down, moves > DS, then down, like the shape of a "7". For a QuickTime movie of this sign, see
ASL browser - Philadelphia
.
Pittsburgh
FT of [F] strokes downward twice on DS of chest. For a QuickTime movie of this sign, see ASL browser - Pittsburgh.

Rhode Island
R-I.

South Carolina
(1) S-C. (2) SOUTH C.

South Dakota
(1) S-D. (2) SOUTH D.

Tennessee
T-E-N-N.

Texas
(1) [X], PO away, moves > DS, then down, like the shape of a "7". For a QuickTime movie of this sign, see
ASL browser - Texas
. (2) T-E-X.
Dallas
[D] taps thumside of FT against temple. For a video of this sign, see asl101/gifs-animated/dallas.gif.

Houston
[H] taps thumbside of FT against DS of chin. To see a series of stills of this sign, go to "houston" ASL American Sign Language.

Utah
U-T-A-H.

Vermont
V-T.

Virginia
V-A.

Washington
(1) [W] touches FT to shoulder and then spirals forward. (< George Washington's epaulets.) For a QuickTime movie of this sign, see
ASL browser - Washington
. (2) W-A-S-H.
Seattle
"S".

West Virginia
(1) W-V. (2) WEST V.

Wisconsin
(1) W-I-S. (2) W-I-S-C.

Wyoming
(1) W-Y-O. (2) W-Y. (3) (2h)[W], POs away, FOs up, touch FTs then separate, change to (2h)[Y] and descend. (< the squared-off shape of the state.)


List of sources cited

Kelly-Jones, N. and Hamilton, H. (1981). Signs everywhere. Los Alamitos, CA: Modern Signs Press, Inc.


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