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Archive Replay
Monday, January 27, 2025
Sign of the Day
ruler
The BSL sign for "ruler" uses two hands. The dominant hand forms a flat shape (B-hand) to represent the ruler, moving across the non-dominant hand which is typically palm up, representing the surface or paper
A1 Common Noun British Sign Language (BSL) Neutral
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Dominant hand: Flat hand, fingers extended and together, thumb tucked alongside. Non-dominant hand: Flat hand, fingers extended and together, palm up
Dominant hand moves linearly across/along the non-dominant hand
Used in educational settings, construction, art, or when discussing tools
Break It Down
Watch, build, and feel the movement
Use the numbered steps first, then check the sign anatomy cards to clean up the small details that make the sign look fluent instead of approximate.
How to form the sign
- Form flat B-hand with dominant hand, palm down
- Form flat B-hand with non-dominant hand, palm up
- Place dominant hand above/near non-dominant hand
- Move dominant hand linearly across/along non-dominant hand
Coach prompt
Practice holding the non-dominant hand steady as the surface. Focus on a clear, linear movement with the dominant hand
Signature details
Handshape
Dominant hand: Flat hand, fingers extended and together, thumb tucked alongside. Non-dominant hand: Flat hand, fingers extended and together, palm up · Code B-hand (or 5-hand closed) for both hands
Dominant hand
Right
Symmetry
Asymmetric
Contact
Near
Palm orientation
Dominant hand palm down/forward, non-dominant hand palm up
Eyebrows
Neutral
Eye gaze
Forward
Head movement
None
Mouth morpheme
Pah (for flat object)
Body shift
None
Use It Today
Move from recognition to real-life use
Everything below is designed to make the sign sticky: where it feels natural, what learners miss, and how to use it without sounding robotic.
I need a ruler to draw a straight line
The non-dominant hand acts as the surface or paper, while the dominant hand represents the ruler
Best fit: Used in educational settings, construction, art, or when discussing tools
Mirror focus
Practice holding the non-dominant hand steady as the surface. Focus on a clear, linear movement with the dominant hand
Catch the slip
Ensure the dominant hand is flat and moves smoothly. Avoid a 'chopping' motion
Use it today
I need a ruler to draw a straight line
Common mistakes: Confusing with 'book' or 'paper' if movement is unclear
When not to use it: When referring to a monarch or governing figure (different sign)
Regional note: Minor variations in the exact length or angle of movement
Cultural note: Directly represents the function of the object
1.[en] Can I borrow your ruler? / BSL:[BORROW YOUR RULER ME]
2.[en] Draw a line with a ruler. / BSL:[DRAW LINE USE RULER]
3.[en] This ruler is 30cm long. / BSL:[THIS RULER 30CM LONG]
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Word web
Straightedge
measure
straight-edge
Curve
freehand
Measure
line
straight
draw
measure
line
straight
draw
geometry
The sign for RULER (tool) uses two flat (B-hand) hands, with the dominant hand moving linearly across the non-dominant hand (representing the surface). This distinguishes it from:
BOOK: Often uses two flat hands, but the dominant hand might 'open' or 'close' on the non-dominant, mimicking pages. The movement is typically a hinge-like action, not a straight glide.
PAPER: Can be one or two flat hands; two hands might tap together or be held flat, representing a sheet. The movement isn't typically a linear glide across a surface.
* LINE: Often one G-hand (index finger extended) drawing a line in the air, or across a surface. While also linear, it lacks the two-hand interaction of RULER
School
tools
measurement
geometry
drawing
stationery
BSL ruler
sign for ruler
ruler sign language
British Sign Language ruler
Geometry
Measurement
Stationery
Tools
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