Kid's ASL sign for: milk


Even though the ASL word MILK is one of the most common, one of the earliest words that a baby could use, and one of the easiest that a baby can acquire, it took Juli so long to pronounce MILK correctly with the "S" handshape, instead of the "A" handshape. Not till age 3 or 4 in Juli's case.

The phonological process is simple for MILK, but the gap is very long between "A" and "S" handshapes. Manipulating ASL signs with the thumb is not easy for infants and toddlers. For example, it took Juli a long while to pronounce MOTHER using the thumb on the lower cheek (early age 2).