3@SideTrunkhigh-PalmDown-3@SideChesthigh-PalmDown Upanddown-Upanddown

American Sign Language

Alternative forms

(with more narrowly spaced hands) 3@InsideTrunkhigh-PalmDown-3@InsideChesthigh-PalmDown Upanddown-Upanddown
(with dominant hand initially higher) 3@SideChesthigh-PalmDown-3@SideTrunkhigh-PalmDown Upanddown-Upanddown
(narrower and higher) 3@InsideChesthigh-PalmDown 3@InsideSternumhigh-PalmDown Upanddown-Upanddown
(Motion's direction) 3@InsideChesthigh-PalmDown 3@InsideSternumhigh-PalmDown Upanddown-Downandup

Etymology

ETY: Both hands indicated as the feet. The motion of going 'Upanddown-Downandup' in a repetitive manner is considered as an _awkward_ walking motion. Its feet presumably have three digits of toes, thus make it imbalance through walking. Hence the concept of the word, "Awkward" is introduced.

Possibly related to 3@InsideTrunkhigh-PalmDown-3@InsideChesthigh-PalmDown CirclesMidline-CirclesMidline (“hike”).

Production

This two-handed ASL sign is produced with a facial expression suggesting awkwardness:
1. Posture the nondominant hand in the “3” shape about half an arm's length in front of and beside the chest, nondominant palm facing down. Posture the dominant hand in the “3” shape in front of and beside the trunk, dominant palm facing down.
2. Move both hands alternatingly and repeatedly up and down.
3. Posture the nondominant hand in the “3” shape in front of and beside the trunk, nondominant palm facing down. Posture the dominant hand in the “3” shape about half an arm's length in front of and beside the chest, dominant palm facing down.
(clumsy): A different facial expression expresses the meaning "clumsy", typically with the mouthing "TH".

GUH Hand	LUH Hand	LUH Move	GUH Move	GUH Hand	LUH Hand
GUH Palm	LUH Palm	Second	Second	GUH Palm	LUH Palm
GUH Position	LUH Separation	Third	Third
3	3	Oppose	Down-Down
Down	Down

Adjective

(ASL gloss: AWKWARD)

awkward
clumsy

Synonyms

(clumsy): OpenA@InHand-ThumbAcross-S@CenterChesthigh-PalmDown 5@InHand-ThumbAcross-S@CenterChesthigh-PalmDown