American Sign Language: "ape" As with many "very short" English words the concept of "ape" is typically just fingerspelled. If you are telling a story (particularly to children) you very well may choose to thump on your chest a couple of times as if you were an ape. The sign for "gorilla" tends to just use the chest thumping movement. If you need to distinguish between an "ape" and a "gorilla" you have a couple of options: 1. Fingerspell A-P-E and sign "gorilla" by thumping your chest. 2. Thump your chest a couple times with "A" hands (palm-side facing toward your chest) to mean "ape." Thump your chest a couple of times with "S" hands to mean "gorilla." GORILLA or APE: Note: On first usage, if it is important to be specific about whether your are signing "ape" or "gorilla" it is a good practice to "fingerspell" either concept at least once for clarification. Also see: MONKEY Also see: GORILLA You can learn American Sign Language (ASL) online at American Sign Language University ™ ASL resources by Lifeprint.com © Dr. William Vicars Want to help support ASL University? It's easy: DONATE (Thanks!) (You don't need a PayPal account. Just look for the credit card logos and click continue.) Another way to help is to buy Dr. Bill's "Superdisk." Dr. Bill's new iPhone "Fingerspelling Practice" app is now available! CHECK IT OUT > Want even more ASL resources? Visit the "ASL Training Center!" (Subscription Extension of ASLU) CHECK IT OUT > Bandwidth slow? Check out "ASLUniversity.com" (a free mirror of Lifeprint.com less traffic, fast access) VISIT >

American Sign Language: "ape"

As with many "very short" English words the concept of "ape" is typically just fingerspelled.

If you are telling a story (particularly to children) you very well may choose to thump on your chest a couple of times as if you were an ape.

The sign for "gorilla" tends to just use the chest thumping movement.
If you need to distinguish between an "ape" and a "gorilla" you have a couple of options:
1. Fingerspell A-P-E and sign "gorilla" by thumping your chest.
2. Thump your chest a couple times with "A" hands (palm-side facing toward your chest) to mean "ape." Thump your chest a couple of times with "S" hands to mean "gorilla."

GORILLA or APE:

Note: On first usage, if it is important to be specific about whether your are signing "ape" or "gorilla" it is a good practice to "fingerspell" either concept at least once for clarification.

Also see: MONKEY
Also see: GORILLA

You can learn American Sign Language (ASL) online at American Sign Language University ™
ASL resources by Lifeprint.com © Dr. William Vicars

Want to help support ASL University? It's easy: DONATE (Thanks!)
(You don't need a PayPal account. Just look for the credit card logos and click continue.)

Another way to help is to buy Dr. Bill's "Superdisk."

Dr. Bill's new iPhone "Fingerspelling Practice" app is now available! CHECK IT OUT >

Want even more ASL resources? Visit the "ASL Training Center!" (Subscription Extension of ASLU) CHECK IT OUT >

Bandwidth slow? Check out "ASLUniversity.com" (a free mirror of Lifeprint.com less traffic, fast access) VISIT >