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How do you identify the topic

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Nick

Member

3/13/2026
9 Comments

If you have to sign topic words first, and there's a sentence about 2 things, what's the sign going first?

Discussion (9)

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Nick

3/13/2026

Additionally, if I were to say "I like apples", would I say apples first or me

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Soul Flame

3/14/2026

APPLE ME LIKE is the most natural, since the topic comes often first. But ME LIKE APPLE works too because it's a simple sentence. It could be a matter of importance or to get a person's attention on the topic.

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Soul Flame

3/14/2026

About the sentence with two things, both usually come first. For example, “I like apples and bananas” can be signed APPLE BANANA ME LIKE. You can introduce APPLE slightly to the left and BANANA slightly to the right.

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Soul Flame

3/14/2026

if you are a right-handed signer

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Nick

3/14/2026

Very helpful thank you. If I wanted to say "my sister wants to eat oranges" it would be ORANGES MY SISTER WANT EAT correct?

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Soul Flame

3/14/2026

Here the topic is more likely “MY SISTER” because the sentence is about what your sister wants to do (MY SISTER "point to her" WANT EAT ORANGE). But if you want to highlight ORANGE, then ORANGE becomes the topic.

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Soul Flame

3/14/2026

For example, if someone is talking about fruits and insists on bananas, you could reply ORANGE, MY SISTER WANT EAT.

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Sing and Sign 🎹🎹🙏

3/14/2026

Yes excelente

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Nick

3/14/2026

Thank you for clearing it up, I think I understand now. I just want to look like I'm fully capable even if I don't know too much.

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