Daily focus
Archive Replay
Saturday, March 1, 2025
Sign of the Day
duct
Sign for "duct" shows a hollow channel. Both 'C' hands move forward, representing a passage
B1 Uncommon Noun British Sign Language (BSL) Technical
Today’s Snapshot
The meta fields are doing real work here
This page turns your sign metadata into a fast, readable fingerprint of how the sign looks, feels, and fits into real conversation.
Both hands form an open 'C' shape
Both hands move forward linearly
Discussing construction, plumbing, HVAC systems
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 both hands into 'C' shapes
- Palms face each other, fingers point forward
- Place hands in front of chest, slightly apart
- Move both hands linearly forward
- Maintain parallel 'C' shapes
Coach prompt
Practice signing "duct" while saying "air duct" or "ventilation duct."
Signature details
Handshape
Both hands form an open 'C' shape · Code C-hand (both)
Dominant hand
Either
Symmetry
Symmetric
Contact
Air
Palm orientation
Palms face each other, fingers pointing forward
Eyebrows
Neutral
Eye gaze
Forward
Head movement
None
Mouth morpheme
None
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.
The air duct needed cleaning
Often used in technical or industrial contexts
Best fit: Discussing construction, plumbing, HVAC systems
Mirror focus
Practice signing "duct" while saying "air duct" or "ventilation duct."
Catch the slip
Ensure hands are parallel 'C' shapes; movement is linear and forward
Use it today
The air duct needed cleaning
Common mistakes: Confusing with 'tube' or 'pipe' if hands are too close or too small
When not to use it: For a general 'tube' or 'pipe' sign if a simpler term exists
Regional note: Limited
Cultural note: None specific to this sign
1.[en] The air duct needs repair. / BSL:[DUCT AIR REPAIR NEED]
2.[en] Water flows through the duct. / BSL:[WATER FLOW THROUGH DUCT]
3.[en] Install the new duct. / BSL:[INSTALL NEW DUCT]
Connect the Dots
Turn one sign into a small learning cluster
These links use your relationship fields, related vocabulary, and category context so the daily page becomes a launchpad instead of a dead end.
Word web
Pipe
channel
conduit
N/A
Ventilation
air
water
tube
Pipe
Ventilation
Air
Channel
Construction
PIPE: Often one hand (G or C-hand) moving forward, sometimes tracing a narrower, rounder path. DUCT uses two parallel C-hands, emphasizing a wider, rectangular channel. TUBE: Can be similar to PIPE, often using a 'G' or 'C' handshape to show a hollow cylindrical object. DUCT specifically refers to a channel for services, whereas TUBE can be more general (e.g., a test tube)
Engineering
construction
plumbing
ventilation
Duct
pipe
channel
BSL
Construction
engineering
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