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Archive Replay
Wednesday, September 3, 2025
Sign of the Day
knife
The BSL sign for "knife" is two-handed. The dominant G-hand repeatedly brushes across the non-dominant flat palm, simulating cutting
A1 Common Noun British Sign Language (BSL) Neutral
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Dominant hand: G-hand (index finger extended). Non-dominant hand: Flat B-hand (palm open, fingers together)
Dominant G-hand repeatedly brushes across the non-dominant open palm
Everyday contexts involving cooking, eating, or 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 dominant G-hand (index extended)
- Form non-dominant flat B-hand, palm up
- Bring dominant G-hand index finger to non-dominant palm
- Repeatedly brush dominant index across non-dominant palm horizontally
Coach prompt
Practice the handshapes and repeated cutting movement. Ensure clear contact
Signature details
Handshape
Dominant hand: G-hand (index finger extended). Non-dominant hand: Flat B-hand (palm open, fingers together) · Code N/A
Dominant hand
Either
Symmetry
Asymmetric
Contact
Brush
Palm orientation
Dominant hand palm faces non-dominant palm; Non-dominant palm up
Eyebrows
Neutral
Eye gaze
Forward
Head movement
None
Mouth morpheme
None
Body shift
None
Use It Today
Move from recognition to real-life use
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BSL:[KNIFE WHERE?]
Refers to any type of knife, from kitchen utensil to utility tool
Best fit: Everyday contexts involving cooking, eating, or tools
Mirror focus
Practice the handshapes and repeated cutting movement. Ensure clear contact
Catch the slip
Check dominant hand is G-shape; non-dominant is flat. Ensure repeated, distinct "cuts" across the palm
Use it today
BSL:[KNIFE WHERE?]
Common mistakes: Incorrect handshapes or not performing the repeated cutting motion
When not to use it: N/A
Regional note: Generally consistent across the UK
Cultural note: None specific to this sign
1.[en] I need a knife. / BSL:[ME WANT KNIFE]
2.[en] That knife is sharp. / BSL:[THAT KNIFE SHARP]
3.[en] Use the knife. / BSL:[USE KNIFE]
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Word web
Cutter
blade
N/A
Fork
spoon
plate
food
cut
Fork
Spoon
Cut
Plate
Butcher
Sharp
The BSL sign for KNIFE uses a dominant G-hand repeatedly brushing across a flat non-dominant palm. This distinguishes it from: 1. CUT (verb): Often a single, more forceful cutting motion, potentially with a different handshape (e.g., V-hand for cutting with scissors, or G-hand for cutting meat) or location. 2. SAW (tool): Typically involves a bent V-hand or 5-hand, with a back-and-forth sawing motion, not just brushing, often near the opposite arm. 3. BREAD: Uses a C-hand on the non-dominant hand, and the dominant flat hand "slices" the top of the C-hand, resembling slicing a loaf. KNIFE specifically simulates the blade's action on a surface
Kitchen
cutlery
tool
utensil
Knife BSL
sign for knife
cutting tool sign
kitchen knife sign
Tool
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