When talking sign language how do you sign doing Is It the same as do?

Answer 1

Note: There are many Sign Languages around the world. The answer below, refers to ASL (American Sign Language or Ameslan) which is the broadest form of Sign Languages in North America (primarily the U.S.A. and Canada.)

In ASL there are two signs for "Do" one is the same sign as the sign for "act." The other is finger-spelled. ASL does not use present tense ING verbs in the same way as in spoken and written English. In ASL there is no distinction between "I am behaving poorly" and "I behave poorly" These would be signed the same way, if the conotation remained the same.

To sign the word "Do" or "Doing" or "Act" or "Acting" (although there is an alternative form for "Act" or "Acting"; in other words, this sign 'do' or 'act' conceptually refers to "the act of doing", or "doing an action") you place both hands in a downturned cupped position. And then you mime moving things around. There is varience to this sign. In general, you would move both hands one direction (e.g. left) and then the other (e.g. right) and then back again (e.g. back to the left) and then to the center, in symmatry. But if the conotation refers to doing a variety of things, or one thing acting in a different manner than another, the hands would move in opposing directions.

A variation of the above, is to places the palms outward (they still remain in their curved position) and then if you are right handed move them right to left in symetry, and if you are left handed the reverse, in front of your chest. (Exception to this rule: if you are specifically referring to someone or something move in a certain way, your hand movements would represent that movement.) This sign is also one variation for the past tense for "do" as in "Did" in Conversational ASL.

To answer your question, simplistically, "Yes (in ASL) Do and Doing are the same sign, except when you are using the finger-spelled sign for the word 'do.') How do you know whether to use the cupped hand version or the finger-spelled version. If you have an audience of people at a large distance away from you, this is the proper time to use the finger-spelled version. Also if you want to place emphasis on the word "do", this also the proper time to finger-spell it.

In a marriage ceremony however, the "I Do" is often expressed as "Yes." In other words "Do you take Sheila The Ugliest Woman in Our City to be Your wife, in sickness and in health, in rags or in wealth, in poverty or in riches, in splendor or in stitches?" Response in ASL: "Yes."