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Archive Replay
Wednesday, May 7, 2025
Sign of the Day
angry
The BSL sign for 'angry' uses a bent 5-hand, moving forcefully from the stomach area outwards, accompanied by strong non-manual features like furrowed brows
A1 Very Common Adjective British Sign Language (BSL) Neutral
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Dominant hand forms a bent 5-hand or claw-like shape, fingers slightly curved
Hand moves forcefully from the stomach/chest area outwards
Expressing personal emotion, describing others' feelings
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 bent 5-hand palm forward
- Place hand near stomach/solar plexus
- Move hand forcefully outwards
- Accompany with furrowed brows
Coach prompt
Practice with strong facial expressions; focus on the forceful outward movement; differentiate from FRUSTRATED
Signature details
Handshape
Dominant hand forms a bent 5-hand or claw-like shape, fingers slightly curved · Code Bent 5
Dominant hand
Either
Symmetry
Asymmetric
Contact
Air
Palm orientation
Forward or slightly down
Eyebrows
Furrowed
Eye gaze
At referent
Head movement
Forward
Mouth morpheme
p-ah
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.
MY FRIEND ANGRY YESTERDAY
Strong NMM (furrowed brows, tense face) is vital for meaning
Best fit: Expressing personal emotion, describing others' feelings
Mirror focus
Practice with strong facial expressions; focus on the forceful outward movement; differentiate from FRUSTRATED
Catch the slip
Ensure NMM matches intensity; avoid confusing handshape with 'FRUSTRATED'
Use it today
MY FRIEND ANGRY YESTERDAY
Common mistakes: Lack of NMM, confusing with FRUSTRATED
When not to use it: In overly formal settings; for mild irritation
Regional note: Minor variations in starting location or intensity
Cultural note: Direct expression of emotion is common in BSL
1.[en] I am angry. / BSL:[ME ANGRY]
2.[en] She was very angry. / BSL:[SHE VERY ANGRY]
3.[en] Don't make me angry! / BSL:[ME ANGRY NO!]
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Word web
Mad
Furious
Cross
Happy
Calm
Peaceful
Frustration
Temper
Rage
Frustrated
Upset
Happy
Emotion
Temper
FRUSTRATED: Similar handshape, but FRUSTRATED has a twisting/wringing motion, often at the chest, whereas ANGRY is a forceful outward thrust. UPSET: Uses a flat hand (B-hand) moving in a circular motion on the chest, focusing on general distress, not the specific outward force of ANGRY. RAGE/FURIOUS: Often an intensified version of ANGRY, with more forceful, larger, and possibly repeated movements, and more extreme NMM
Emotion
Feeling
Reaction
angry
mad
cross
furious
upset
emotion
feeling
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