Basic components

1. Introduction
2. Manual components
         a) Configuration
         b) Place
                  b.1) Neutral space
                  b.2) Around the head
                  b.3) In contact with the body
         c) Movement
         d) Orientation
3. Non-manual components
         a) Facial expression
         b) Torso movement
         c) Head position and/or movement
         d) Mouth gesture
                   d.1) Imitative
                   d.2) Compulsory component
                   d.3) Optional component
                          (modifier)
         e) Mouthing
                  

We define orientation as the direction of the palm and the fingers: up, right, toward the signer, toward the front, etc. There are minimal sign pairs distinguishable only by their orientation, as we shall see:

    "Party" / "Hard"
    "Mother" / "Late"
    "Structure" / "French fries"