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Archive Replay
Thursday, May 1, 2025
Sign of the Day
airtight
Two C-hands meet to form a sealed space, often with pursed lips, signifying no air entry or exit
B1 Uncommon Adjective British Sign Language (BSL) Neutral
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Both hands form C-shapes, fingers and thumbs touching to create a complete, enclosed seal
Hands move together to meet and interlock slightly
Describing containers, seals, or conditions where no air can pass
Break It Down
Watch, build, and feel the movement
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How to form the sign
- Form two C-hands
- Position hands facing each other in front of chest
- Bring hands together, fingers and thumbs meeting to form a complete seal
- Use pursed lips (mm-mm mouth pattern)
Signature details
Handshape
Both hands form C-shapes, fingers and thumbs touching to create a complete, enclosed seal
Dominant hand
Either
Symmetry
Symmetric
Contact
Touch
Palm orientation
Palms face each other, then inward as they meet
Eyebrows
Neutral
Eye gaze
Forward
Head movement
None
Mouth morpheme
Pursed lips, often with an 'mm-mm' or 'pah' mouth pattern
Body shift
None
Use It Today
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The container is airtight
Ensure hands meet completely and use the appropriate mouth pattern for emphasis on tightness
Best fit: Describing containers, seals, or conditions where no air can pass
Mirror focus
Form two C-hands
Catch the slip
Not using the correct NMF, hands not sealing completely
Use it today
The container is airtight
Common mistakes: Not using the correct NMF, hands not sealing completely
When not to use it: When meaning 'secret' (use 'SECRET' sign) or 'secure' (use 'SECURE' sign)
Regional note: Minimal for this specific concept
Cultural note: Non-manual features like pursed lips are crucial for conveying intensity and completeness
1.[en] This jar is airtight. / BSL:[JAR then sign 'AIRTIGHT']
2.[en] We need an airtight seal. / BSL:[NEED 'AIRTIGHT' SEAL]
3.[en] Is the bag airtight? / BSL:[BAG 'AIRTIGHT' QUESTION]
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Word web
Sealed
vacuum-packed
impermeable
hermetic
Leaky
open
porous
unsealed
Seal
close
container
secure
prevent
Seal
Close
Container
CLOSE (door/book): Uses two flat hands (B-hands) coming together like closing a book, often without a specific NMF for 'air'. "Airtight" uses C-hands forming a specific seal, usually with pursed lips, explicitly about air or gas. SECRET: Uses a dominant G-hand tapping the lips, referring to confidentiality. "Airtight" is two-handed, in front of the body, and describes a physical seal. SECURE/SAFE: Often involves one hand gripping the other wrist or a strong, firm grasp. "Airtight" focuses on an impenetrable seal for air, using interlocking C-hands
Food storage
engineering
safety
containers
packaging
BSL airtight
sign for airtight
sealed BSL
no air BSL
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