The Alphabet and numbers 0-9
Conversational signs
Nice to meet you. (NICE MEET-YOU)
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What's your name? (NAME YOU WHAT?)
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My name ________ (fingerspell your name) (I NAME ______)
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Can you repeat that please? (AGAIN PLEASE)
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Slower please (SLOW PLEASE)
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I'm a beginner [signer] (SIGN ( FA-FA) NMS I)
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FAQ's on the language
What is NMS?
NMS is an acronym for Non-Manual Signals such as facial expression when used in ASL. Facial expression constitutes for 80% of the grammar in ASL so it is important to use it! Just like how hearing people don't like listening to a monotone speaker, Deaf people don't like watching an expressionless signer!
What is an ASL Gloss?
Since ASL is a visual and not written language, a gloss is used to write out how you would sign something. It is always in capital letters and is simply the signs in the order you would sign them. Hyphens are used to indicate a word that is two words in English but they are together one sign in ASL. In the descriptions for the videos above the gloss is in parentheses so beginning signers can learn what signs are being used where.
How is ASL word order different than English word order?
In ASL the word order is time, concept, comment. Time is first because unlike in spoken language you cannot hear a tense suffix added to the ends of verbs. Therefore by placing the time at the beginning of the sentence (i.e. yesterday, today, tomorrow) a Deaf person will know what the tense should be for the remainder of the sentence.
Example: If you want to sign "I will go to the store tomorrow" you would sign "TOMORROW STORE GO-TO WILL I"
What is PSE?
PSE is an acronym for Pigeon Signed English and is most commonly used by ASL students. This is when you use ASL signs but place them in English word order and not ASL word order. It is accepted and understood by the Deaf community.
What is SEE?
SEE is an acronym for Signed Exact English. In ASL and PSE it would not be proper to sign contractions such as and, the, so etc. But in SEE you would sign in English word order every word that is said. This is not commonly used in the Deaf community however you would be understood.
What does it mean if someone says "that's a very English way to sign that"?
English is a complex language that contains many rules and exceptions. In order to best be understood in ASL think what the overall concept of the sentence that you are saying is. A simple word like run in English can be signed a million different ways. Just think, in context run has completely different meanings such as "I am going on a run", "I am running to the store", "We are running out of milk", and "The sink is running". Yes the same English word is used but try replacing the word run with a synonym that suits the context. Try signing that!
NMS is an acronym for Non-Manual Signals such as facial expression when used in ASL. Facial expression constitutes for 80% of the grammar in ASL so it is important to use it! Just like how hearing people don't like listening to a monotone speaker, Deaf people don't like watching an expressionless signer!
What is an ASL Gloss?
Since ASL is a visual and not written language, a gloss is used to write out how you would sign something. It is always in capital letters and is simply the signs in the order you would sign them. Hyphens are used to indicate a word that is two words in English but they are together one sign in ASL. In the descriptions for the videos above the gloss is in parentheses so beginning signers can learn what signs are being used where.
How is ASL word order different than English word order?
In ASL the word order is time, concept, comment. Time is first because unlike in spoken language you cannot hear a tense suffix added to the ends of verbs. Therefore by placing the time at the beginning of the sentence (i.e. yesterday, today, tomorrow) a Deaf person will know what the tense should be for the remainder of the sentence.
Example: If you want to sign "I will go to the store tomorrow" you would sign "TOMORROW STORE GO-TO WILL I"
What is PSE?
PSE is an acronym for Pigeon Signed English and is most commonly used by ASL students. This is when you use ASL signs but place them in English word order and not ASL word order. It is accepted and understood by the Deaf community.
What is SEE?
SEE is an acronym for Signed Exact English. In ASL and PSE it would not be proper to sign contractions such as and, the, so etc. But in SEE you would sign in English word order every word that is said. This is not commonly used in the Deaf community however you would be understood.
What does it mean if someone says "that's a very English way to sign that"?
English is a complex language that contains many rules and exceptions. In order to best be understood in ASL think what the overall concept of the sentence that you are saying is. A simple word like run in English can be signed a million different ways. Just think, in context run has completely different meanings such as "I am going on a run", "I am running to the store", "We are running out of milk", and "The sink is running". Yes the same English word is used but try replacing the word run with a synonym that suits the context. Try signing that!
FAQ's on the culture. What is and is not appropriate.
What is the difference between Deaf and deaf?
No that wasn't a typo, I meant to put a capital D there. So what's the difference? It's the culture. If you are deaf you cannot hear. That is all, deaf people usually grew up using oral communication, reading lips and speaking rather than signing. They may also have a cochlear implant, However a Deaf person is someone who is culturally Deaf meaning they use sign language and embrace other aspects of Deaf culture (which we will get to later). Someone who is clinically hard of hearing may consider themselves to be Deaf. Just like how when we say we are American it is capitalized so is Deaf.
What is DST?
DST is an acronym for Deaf Standard Time. Because Deaf people live in a predominately hearing world when they get the chance to meet with a friend or relative who knows sign the conversation may go on forever! This then makes them late to other appointments which snowballs, creating Deaf Standard Time which is usually at least 30 minutes late!
Why are the terms hearing impaired and disabled offensive to Deaf/deaf people?
Deaf people are not disabled. They can do all the same things we can except hear. By saying someone is "impaired" or "disabled" you are implying they need to be fixed or are not good enough the way they are. We would not consider someone who spoke a foreign language to be disabled or impaired in any way. Deaf people are exactly the same, they speak a language foreign to most hearing people which does not constitute as a disability.
Why do Deaf people always hug?
After you have met someone once in Deaf culture it is appropriate to greet them with a hug every time after that. This dates back to the 1800's when a young deaf girl named Alice Cogswell met Thomas Gallaudet for the first time. For no apparent reason she greeted him with a hug, Gallaudet later went on to study Deaf education and found many Deaf schools across the country including the world's only all Deaf university, Gallaudet University.
How do I get a Deaf person's attention?
The best way to gain the attention of a deaf person is tapping them on the shoulder or waving in their line of vision. If at a dinner table you can even bang on the table, they will feel the vibrations and look up. If you are trying to get the attention of a large group of deaf people the best way to get their attention is by flashing the lights.
No that wasn't a typo, I meant to put a capital D there. So what's the difference? It's the culture. If you are deaf you cannot hear. That is all, deaf people usually grew up using oral communication, reading lips and speaking rather than signing. They may also have a cochlear implant, However a Deaf person is someone who is culturally Deaf meaning they use sign language and embrace other aspects of Deaf culture (which we will get to later). Someone who is clinically hard of hearing may consider themselves to be Deaf. Just like how when we say we are American it is capitalized so is Deaf.
What is DST?
DST is an acronym for Deaf Standard Time. Because Deaf people live in a predominately hearing world when they get the chance to meet with a friend or relative who knows sign the conversation may go on forever! This then makes them late to other appointments which snowballs, creating Deaf Standard Time which is usually at least 30 minutes late!
Why are the terms hearing impaired and disabled offensive to Deaf/deaf people?
Deaf people are not disabled. They can do all the same things we can except hear. By saying someone is "impaired" or "disabled" you are implying they need to be fixed or are not good enough the way they are. We would not consider someone who spoke a foreign language to be disabled or impaired in any way. Deaf people are exactly the same, they speak a language foreign to most hearing people which does not constitute as a disability.
Why do Deaf people always hug?
After you have met someone once in Deaf culture it is appropriate to greet them with a hug every time after that. This dates back to the 1800's when a young deaf girl named Alice Cogswell met Thomas Gallaudet for the first time. For no apparent reason she greeted him with a hug, Gallaudet later went on to study Deaf education and found many Deaf schools across the country including the world's only all Deaf university, Gallaudet University.
How do I get a Deaf person's attention?
The best way to gain the attention of a deaf person is tapping them on the shoulder or waving in their line of vision. If at a dinner table you can even bang on the table, they will feel the vibrations and look up. If you are trying to get the attention of a large group of deaf people the best way to get their attention is by flashing the lights.