Uploaded July 2021 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
American Sign Language (ASL) signs for superpowers (part 1).
Donations very much appreciated:
paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=64QMBRBXQSV6G
Or, if you prefer "Cash App" you can use: cash.me/$Lifeprint
Or use Patreon at patreon.com/ASLU
Want to order a USB drive with four semesters worth of ASL video instruction? (ASL 1, ASL 2, ASL 3, and ASL 4) for $79.95?
See "SuperUSB" in the ASLUniversity bookstore at:
lifeprint.com/bookstore/bookstore.htm
For free ASL lessons check out:
lifeprint.com/asl101/lessons/lessons.htm
For a great “100 First ASL Signs” resource, see:
lifeprint.com/asl101/pages-layout/concepts.htm
To learn basic fingerspelling see youtu.be/va1aAXpVr2w
Instructor Bio, see:
lifeprint.com/asl101/pages-layout/instructor.htm
Take care and love to you all.
- Dr. Bill
:)
==========================
Superpowers in ASL (Part 1)
Bill Vicars with Cäsar Jacobson
Intended audience: Students who have who have completed Level 2 or higher of the ASL University curriculum.
youtu.be/Oi7yaiBAR4A
=============================
This sign: SUPER applies to comics, graphic novels, and related uses of "super."
In low context or isolation the sign SUPER means: Superman
However you can combine SUPER with other signs to create other meanings.
SUPER
+
BRAVE means superhero
In low context you can add the PERSON sign:
SUPER
BRAVE PERSON =
superhero
In high context
you can sign:
SUPER+
EVIL
to mean:
supervillain
SUPER+
POWER
=
superpower
"super" as in
WONDERFUL
"super"
So outstanding as to leave all others in the dust.
That sign can also mean:
infinite
matchless
inimitable
unparalleled
unrivaled
extraordinary
"super" as in:
EXTREME!
Terrible!
Can’t even!
Terrific!
OMG!
"super" as in
VERY VERY
*Some consider it signed English but many Deaf sign VERY.
"super" as in
VEE VEE (a version of very, very)
Often, super is shown by modifying individual signs to show more intensity.
For example...
loud
vs
Super loud!
sour
vs
super sour
Sometimes using both hands can mean super. For example:
UGLY
vs
super UGLY
thanks or thankful
vs
"very" thankful
Sometimes a modified handshape can mean super.
For example
puzzled or puzzling
vs
super or very, very puzzling
Sometimes you do both -- add a hand and change the handshape:
Extremely (super) ugly!
Often we add a mouth morpheme ...
LARGE
vs
(super)-LARGE
[CHA!]
Or add extra movement and a mouth morpheme:
(super extra)-LARGE
[CHA!] [inflected]
Or use a different version of the sign ...
FAST
vs
super fast
This next sign is a multiple meaning context dependent sign ...
brave
heal
healthy
courage
hardy
valiant
That sign can also be used to mean
HERO
=
courage + person
In context you can
just sign COURAGE to mean hero.
Example:
IX-(that person)
MY HERO
Combine SUPER + COURAGE
to mean SUPERHERO
(either with or without the PERSON sign)
COURAGE and the sign STRONG overlap.
COURAGE tends to start with claw hands and transform into "S" hands.
STRONG tends to start immediately with "S" hands.
Sometimes the signs look the same but can be differentiated by small changes:
STRONG has multiple versions:
version 1 version 2 version 3
etc.
There are several ways to sign "super-human strength"
"Super-human strength"
version:
EXCEED HUMAN STRONG
"Super-human strength"
version:
UNRIVALED
STRONG
... or spell super or inflect the sign STRONG, etc.
Lots of ways.
invulnerable
version 1:
BOLD
tough
impervious
intrepid
IX = point at or "index"
=
he, she, it, that-person, they-singular, there, etc.
invulnerable
version 2:
CAN’T HURT IX
invulnerable
version 3:
CAN’T HARM* IX
*ruin, spoil
invulnerable
version 4:
projectile bounce off of chest
force field:
area around person bounce off
mental =
mind
brain sense
Send a signal from your brain.
telepathically seize control of someone or an animal
two-way mental telepathy
mental telepathy can mean:
We thought the same thing!
tele-kinesis spell or explain on first reference then can depict or abbreviate
It is arguable whether the general FLY sign is or is not limited to airplanes.
It may be tempting for ASL instructors to claim that the FLY sign only applies to airplanes -- but then students go out into the Deaf world and see some Deaf people using FLY to apply to humans.
There is often a disparity between signs taught in academic settings and signs used in the Deaf Community.
The power of flight version 1
version 2
version 3
version 4
etc.
SUPERPOWER YOU CHOOSE WHICH?
We can discuss other super powers in future lessons.
...
[End]
American Sign Language (ASL) signs for superpowers (part 1).
Donations very much appreciated:
paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=64QMBRBXQSV6G
Or, if you prefer "Cash App" you can use: cash.me/$Lifeprint
Or use Patreon at patreon.com/ASLU
Want to order a USB drive with four semesters worth of ASL video instruction? (ASL 1, ASL 2, ASL 3, and ASL 4) for $79.95?
See "SuperUSB" in the ASLUniversity bookstore at:
lifeprint.com/bookstore/bookstore.htm
For free ASL lessons check out:
lifeprint.com/asl101/lessons/lessons.htm
For a great “100 First ASL Signs” resource, see:
lifeprint.com/asl101/pages-layout/concepts.htm
To learn basic fingerspelling see youtu.be/va1aAXpVr2w
Instructor Bio, see:
lifeprint.com/asl101/pages-layout/instructor.htm
Take care and love to you all.
- Dr. Bill
:)
==========================
Superpowers in ASL (Part 1)
Bill Vicars with Cäsar Jacobson
Intended audience: Students who have who have completed Level 2 or higher of the ASL University curriculum.
youtu.be/Oi7yaiBAR4A
=============================
This sign: SUPER applies to comics, graphic novels, and related uses of "super."
In low context or isolation the sign SUPER means: Superman
However you can combine SUPER with other signs to create other meanings.
SUPER
+
BRAVE means superhero
In low context you can add the PERSON sign:
SUPER
BRAVE PERSON =
superhero
In high context
you can sign:
SUPER+
EVIL
to mean:
supervillain
SUPER+
POWER
=
superpower
"super" as in
WONDERFUL
"super"
So outstanding as to leave all others in the dust.
That sign can also mean:
infinite
matchless
inimitable
unparalleled
unrivaled
extraordinary
"super" as in:
EXTREME!
Terrible!
Can’t even!
Terrific!
OMG!
"super" as in
VERY VERY
*Some consider it signed English but many Deaf sign VERY.
"super" as in
VEE VEE (a version of very, very)
Often, super is shown by modifying individual signs to show more intensity.
For example...
loud
vs
Super loud!
sour
vs
super sour
Sometimes using both hands can mean super. For example:
UGLY
vs
super UGLY
thanks or thankful
vs
"very" thankful
Sometimes a modified handshape can mean super.
For example
puzzled or puzzling
vs
super or very, very puzzling
Sometimes you do both -- add a hand and change the handshape:
Extremely (super) ugly!
Often we add a mouth morpheme ...
LARGE
vs
(super)-LARGE
[CHA!]
Or add extra movement and a mouth morpheme:
(super extra)-LARGE
[CHA!] [inflected]
Or use a different version of the sign ...
FAST
vs
super fast
This next sign is a multiple meaning context dependent sign ...
brave
heal
healthy
courage
hardy
valiant
That sign can also be used to mean
HERO
=
courage + person
In context you can
just sign COURAGE to mean hero.
Example:
IX-(that person)
MY HERO
Combine SUPER + COURAGE
to mean SUPERHERO
(either with or without the PERSON sign)
COURAGE and the sign STRONG overlap.
COURAGE tends to start with claw hands and transform into "S" hands.
STRONG tends to start immediately with "S" hands.
Sometimes the signs look the same but can be differentiated by small changes:
STRONG has multiple versions:
version 1 version 2 version 3
etc.
There are several ways to sign "super-human strength"
"Super-human strength"
version:
EXCEED HUMAN STRONG
"Super-human strength"
version:
UNRIVALED
STRONG
... or spell super or inflect the sign STRONG, etc.
Lots of ways.
invulnerable
version 1:
BOLD
tough
impervious
intrepid
IX = point at or "index"
=
he, she, it, that-person, they-singular, there, etc.
invulnerable
version 2:
CAN’T HURT IX
invulnerable
version 3:
CAN’T HARM* IX
*ruin, spoil
invulnerable
version 4:
projectile bounce off of chest
force field:
area around person bounce off
mental =
mind
brain sense
Send a signal from your brain.
telepathically seize control of someone or an animal
two-way mental telepathy
mental telepathy can mean:
We thought the same thing!
tele-kinesis spell or explain on first reference then can depict or abbreviate
It is arguable whether the general FLY sign is or is not limited to airplanes.
It may be tempting for ASL instructors to claim that the FLY sign only applies to airplanes -- but then students go out into the Deaf world and see some Deaf people using FLY to apply to humans.
There is often a disparity between signs taught in academic settings and signs used in the Deaf Community.
The power of flight version 1
version 2
version 3
version 4
etc.
SUPERPOWER YOU CHOOSE WHICH?
We can discuss other super powers in future lessons.
...
[End]
