ASL: How to Sign Medical and Hospital Terms
Medical words are simple in American Sign Language (ASL) — they usually look like what they mean. For example, blood pressure is signed by making a C handshape with your dominant hand and then placing it on your arm muscle. You then mimic working a pump bulb. Check out this table for some common medical terms and treatments.
You fingerspell some medical terms, especially those that are abbreviations anyway. For example, you use the manual alphabet to sign CPR, ER, OR, MRI, ICU, IV, and x-ray, as well as the names of medications.
Try the following sentences for practice:
English: I need to check your blood pressure.
Sign: YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE — CHECK — ME MUST
English: He needs an injection.
Sign: INJECTION — NEED HIM
English: She has an infection.
Sign: INFECTION — HAS HER
English: Sit in the wheelchair.
Sign: WHEELCHAIR — SIT
Language Phrases Glossary
accusative case
When noun or pronoun is the direct object of the verb of the sentence, you are required to switch to the accusative case ending.
Language Phrases Glossary
dative case
When noun or pronoun is the indirect object of the verb of the sentence, you are required to switch to the dative case ending.
Language Phrases Glossary
genitive case
When the noun or pronoun indicates possession, you are required switch to the genitive case ending.
Language Phrases Glossary
instrumental case
A Russian grammatical term that indicates that the noun or pronoun assist in the carrying out of an action, you are required to switch to the accusative case ending.
Language Phrases Glossary
interrogative
Words used to ask questions, such as who, what, when, where, and why.
Language Phrases Glossary
macron
A small, horizontal mark above the vowel that indicates a long vowel sound. Make the vowel sound like its name.
Language Phrases Glossary
nominative case
When noun or pronoun is the subject of the sentence, you are required to switch to the nominative case ending.
Language Phrases Glossary
prepositional case
A grammatical case that indicates that the noun or pronoun is the object of a preposition, you are required to switch to the accusative case ending. Used with the Russian prepositions: v (v; in), na (nah; on), o (oh; about), and ob (ohb; about).
