"last" ASL American Sign Language

American Sign Language: last LAST: last: "final" "end of a series" / least https://youtu.be/f8MfjdWKh24 Both hands in "i" handshapes. The left hand stays stationary. The right pinkie makes contact with the left pinkie . Some people do this sign using an "index finger" on the dominant and a pinkie on the non-dominant hand. Notice how the left hand doesn't move: Note: This sign is also sometimes used to mean "least" but instead you should probably use the sign "minimum" to mean "least. Note: The sign LAST isn't used in such concepts as "last year, last week, and/or last month." Those concepts incorporate some aspect of the sign "PAST" (over the shoulder) to indicate a previous year, week, or month. Also see: CONTINUE The sign "continue" would be used for sentences like, "We don't have much left. We need to conserve what we have so we can make it last." Also see: LAST-YEAR (2) Question: in English, people use "last" to mean "previous" (as in, "I was on vacation last week" or "The last time I played tennis was years ago!") and also to mean "final" (as in, "Who wants the last donut?" or "This is the last time I drive you to the airport!"); does the sign LAST have both meanings in ASL too, or is there a distinction? Answer: There is a distinction. The sign LAST in ASL doesn't mean "previously." If you mean "last" as in the previous time you did something you can generally use the sign PAST. If it is important that you specify the most recent time you did something then use the signs MOST and RECENT. Or drop the sign MOST and inflect the sign RECENT with a shoulder raise (referred to as a "cs" or "cheek to shoulder" marker which means "very" when paired with "recent" -- as in very recent. Again though it is fairly common just to sign "PAST TIME" to mean "last time" (as in previously). Tip: Does that mean you will "never" see a Deaf person sign "LAST TIME" to mean "the previous time?" -- You will see all kinds of signing done by people in the Deaf Community. If you see a Deaf person use LAST to mean "the most recent previous time" -- then just think to yourself, "Gee, there's a vote for that particular usage. Hmmm, I think I'll stick with using PAST to mean "previously" unless I see a whole lot more votes by skilled ASL signers." Also keep in mind that the concept of "last" is often incorporated into the movement, position, orientation, and hand shape changes of certain signs. I'll post some links to examples below. MONTH PAST / last month / a month ago / the previous month https://youtu.be/DRq7SMExZPk PAST MONTH / last month / the previous month / a month ago https://youtu.be/GPoafxiT_eQ last-YEAR / this past year / https://youtu.be/uzKuS-RsvkA last-YEAR [S-1 version] / a year ago / one year ago / past year https://youtu.be/r-ebTdkgpEQ last-WEEK SUNDAY / a week ago Sunday / Sunday of last week https://youtu.be/FC0avUOUxsc THREE-MONTHS AGO https://youtu.be/49UHXDjQwbo 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 something from the ASLU "Bookstore." 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 > You can learn sign language online at American Sign Language (ASL) University ™ Sign language lessons and resources. Dr. William Vicars © Lifeprint.com

American Sign Language: last

LAST: last: "final" "end of a series" / least
https://youtu.be/f8MfjdWKh24
Both hands in "i" handshapes. The left hand stays stationary. The right pinkie makes contact with the left pinkie .
Some people do this sign using an "index finger" on the dominant and a pinkie on the non-dominant hand.

Notice how the left hand doesn't move:

Note: This sign is also sometimes used to mean "least" but instead you should probably use the sign "minimum" to mean "least.
Note: The sign LAST isn't used in such concepts as "last year, last week, and/or last month." Those concepts incorporate some aspect of the sign "PAST" (over the shoulder) to indicate a previous year, week, or month.

Also see: CONTINUE
The sign "continue" would be used for sentences like, "We don't have much left. We need to conserve what we have so we can make it last."

Also see: LAST-YEAR (2)

Question: in English, people use "last" to mean "previous" (as in, "I was on vacation last week" or "The last time I played tennis was years ago!") and also to mean "final" (as in, "Who wants the last donut?" or "This is the last time I drive you to the airport!"); does the sign LAST have both meanings in ASL too, or is there a distinction?

Answer:
There is a distinction. The sign LAST in ASL doesn't mean "previously."
If you mean "last" as in the previous time you did something you can generally use the sign PAST.
If it is important that you specify the most recent time you did something then use the signs MOST and RECENT. Or drop the sign MOST and inflect the sign RECENT with a shoulder raise (referred to as a "cs" or "cheek to shoulder" marker which means "very" when paired with "recent" -- as in very recent.

Again though it is fairly common just to sign "PAST TIME" to mean "last time" (as in previously).

Tip: Does that mean you will "never" see a Deaf person sign "LAST TIME" to mean "the previous time?" -- You will see all kinds of signing done by people in the Deaf Community. If you see a Deaf person use LAST to mean "the most recent previous time" -- then just think to yourself, "Gee, there's a vote for that particular usage. Hmmm, I think I'll stick with using PAST to mean "previously" unless I see a whole lot more votes by skilled ASL signers."

Also keep in mind that the concept of "last" is often incorporated into the movement, position, orientation, and hand shape changes of certain signs.
I'll post some links to examples below.

MONTH PAST / last month / a month ago / the previous month
https://youtu.be/DRq7SMExZPk

PAST MONTH / last month / the previous month / a month ago
https://youtu.be/GPoafxiT_eQ

last-YEAR / this past year /
https://youtu.be/uzKuS-RsvkA

last-YEAR [S-1 version] / a year ago / one year ago / past year
https://youtu.be/r-ebTdkgpEQ

last-WEEK SUNDAY / a week ago Sunday / Sunday of last week
https://youtu.be/FC0avUOUxsc

THREE-MONTHS AGO
https://youtu.be/49UHXDjQwbo

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 something from the ASLU "Bookstore."

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 >

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