In the ASL example, we see three changes. First, the first sign know takes over the handshape of stay, i.e. we observe regressive handshape assimilation. Second, the forward movement of stay is deleted and there is only the movement from the location of know to the location of stay, which is the other hand in neutral space. Third, but this is not visible in the picture, the non-dominant hand of stay is already in place when the first part of the compound is signed, i.e. the compound involves weak hand spreading.

In the SASL example, we observe two changes, both of which occur in the second part of the compound. First, the orientation of place assimilates to that of sand (but the handshape stays the same – this could be referred to as progressive orientation assimilation). Second, the second sign has also becomes two-handed, that is, it assimilates the two-handedness of the first sign.