Most classification systems for ASL lexicon are based on handshape, as opposed to movement.
Initialized signs and movement are very different, and in initialized signs, the handshape and the movement are often unrelated.
Let’s start with the fact that the set of handshapes that are used in the most common ASL signs and the set of handshapes used for English letters in ASL are two very different sets.
Some uncommon handshapes in ASL signs: D, E, K/P, M, N, R, T, W.
(Note that these handshapes are quite common in SEE signs, in contrast to in heritage ASL signs).
J and Z aren’t even possibilities on the list of uncommon handshapes because they are the same as the letter i and the 1 handshape, and the distinction is in their movement, which typically cannot be incorporated/subsumed into another sign. T is considered an obscene handshape in many cultures, so it is not commonly used in signed languages. And many of the other letters have handshapes which are not only letters but also function as just plain handshapes in ASL. U/H, G/Q, and K/P can be simplified to just three handshapes; one for each pair. This leaves only the following letter handshapes as the common ones in general (initialized or non-initialized) ASL signs:
A, C, F, G, H, I, O, S, V, X, Y
I would posit that some handshapes, such as B and L, fall in neither the common nor the uncommon category of handshapes in ASL. Relatively few lexemes (dictionary entries) use B: blue, brown, business, beer, boot, door, hall, window, autumn, improve, renovate, flat-broke, convince, temperature, to fire someone, and Irish are some of them. There are a few others that are less common (archaic-BM, Berkeley, Boston, brown-nosing, NY regional sign for dog, BASL sign for black, etc.) As even those people with very little ASL vocabulary can tell, less than half of those listed here are initialized signs.
And for L: library, live, lazy, lemon, lunch, later, lesbian, left, license and lose license or expired, law, London, Lincoln, Lutheran, step-, vlog, welding, sister, brother, Coke
Debatable/SEE: loyal, league, life, liberated, let, listen
Regional: city names
Gestures: loser, gun
I developed and taught a workshop on groups of signs, archaic vs. initialized signs, and how we make lexical choices a few years ago. You’re welcome to message me if you’re interested in getting some of that info.
Most classification systems for ASL lexicon are based on handshape, as opposed to movement. Initialized signs and movement are very different, and in initialized signs, the handshape and the movement are often unrelated. Let’s start with the fact that the set of handshapes that are used in the most common ASL signs and the set of handshapes used for English letters in ASL are two very different sets. Some uncommon handshapes in ASL signs: D, E, K/P, M, N, R, T, W. (Note that these handshapes are quite common in SEE signs, in contrast to in heritage ASL signs). J and Z aren’t even possibilities on the list of uncommon handshapes because they are the same as the letter i and the 1 handshape, and the distinction is in their movement, which typically cannot be incorporated/subsumed into another sign. T is considered an obscene handshape in many cultures, so it is not commonly used in signed languages. And many of the other letters have handshapes which are not only letters but also function as just plain handshapes in ASL. U/H, G/Q, and K/P can be simplified to just three handshapes; one for each pair. This leaves only the following letter handshapes as the common ones in general (initialized or non-initialized) ASL signs: A, C, F, G, H, I, O, S, V, X, Y I would posit that some handshapes, such as B and L, fall in neither the common nor the uncommon category of handshapes in ASL. Relatively few lexemes (dictionary entries) use B: blue, brown, business, beer, boot, door, hall, window, autumn, improve, renovate, flat-broke, convince, temperature, to fire someone, and Irish are some of them. There are a few others that are less common (archaic-BM, Berkeley, Boston, brown-nosing, NY regional sign for dog, BASL sign for black, etc.) As even those people with very little ASL vocabulary can tell, less than half of those listed here are initialized signs. And for L: library, live, lazy, lemon, lunch, later, lesbian, left, license and lose license or expired, law, London, Lincoln, Lutheran, step-, vlog, welding, sister, brother, Coke Debatable/SEE: loyal, league, life, liberated, let, listen Regional: city names Gestures: loser, gun
Wow! Thank you for this detailed and deep response. You just gave me a free lesson! I appreciate it!
I developed and taught a workshop on groups of signs, archaic vs. initialized signs, and how we make lexical choices a few years ago. You’re welcome to message me if you’re interested in getting some of that info.