ASL 123
Understanding Basic Classifiers (CL)

ASL has a fairly large set of signs that are called classifiers.  Linguists have found that there are at least two types of classifiers: 

Classifiers that represent Nouns (Pronominal CL)  (Note: Another name is Whole Entity CL)

Some classifiers are like pronouns in that they stand in for a particular group of nouns.  For example, the ASL classifier that we gloss (write) as CL:3 as a car, bus, van, boat or submarine, but not a person, animal or plant.   These signs are called classifiers because they stand for a particular group or "class" of nouns.  Like pronouns, these classifiers generally cannot be used in a sentence until the signer shows what the classifier stands for (i.e.  MY SISTER'S CAR).  This is usually done by signing or fingerspelling the noun and then using the classifier handshape to represent that noun.  For example, the signer might sign #CAR RED and then use the CL:3 in a particular location.

Pronominal Classifiers can show Locational Relationships (Locatives)

Classifiers can show the spatial relationship between different people and things.  For example, by showing the red car with the classifier 'on the left', and an orange car is 'on the right'.  You can show those two cars traveling down the freeway next to each other.  

Classifiers can function as Verbs (CL Predicates) and Adverbs (Semantic Classifiers)

By having the CL:3 on the right hand (the orange car) move and hit the CL:3 on the left hand (the red car), you'll show that the orange car crashed into the red car.  The movement of the classifier on the right hand is "fast" and we see that it hits "hard" (with NMGS facial response "pow").

In summary, Pronominal or Whole Entity Classifiers generally represents an individual and its location, action and manner.
 

Symbols for Classifiers

Symbol          Explanation
 

ProCL           (See above section)

DCL            Descriptive classifer sign used to describe an object or a person. 
                   Sometimes referred to as size and shape specifiers or SASSes.

                           Example:  DCL ‘curly hair’ 

LCL            Locative classifier sign representing an object in a specific place and sometimes indicating
                  movement. Handshape is given, followed by spatial or locative information.

                          Example:   LCL: B 'leaf drifting to the ground'

SCL            Semantic classifier sign representing a category of nouns such as a vehicle or a
                  person.  Handshape is given, followed by information about the specific movement.

                          Example:  SCL: 1 ‘person walking stiffly and hurriedly’ 

BCL          Body classifier sign in which the body “enacts” the verb of the sentence. Role shifting is
  usually required.

                          Example: BCL ‘acting macho’, BCL ‘ putting arms around friend’ 

ICL          Instrument classifier sign indicating which part of the body (usually the hands) manipulates
  an object.

                         Example: ICL ‘driving’, ICL  ‘playing jacks’ 

BPCL        Body part classifier sign representing a specific part of the body doing the action.

                         Example: (2 hands) BPCL: 1 ‘crossing legs’, (2 hands) BPCL:B ‘taps foot’ 

PCL          Plural classifier sign, indicating either specific number or non-specific number.

                         Example: PCL:3 ‘people walking’, PCL:4 ‘long line of people’, PCL: 5 ‘hordes of’ 

ECL          Element classifier describing things that do not have specific shapes or sizes, and are in
    constant motion, i.e., weather, or elements such as water, air, fire, light.