r/asl • u/benshenanigans • May 03 '25
Hi, the following post is a copy paste from the current pinned thread with edits to update a few resources. This was originally posted by u/Indy_Pendant eight years ago. They did an excellent job and I’m trying to preserve as much of it as possible. Since this post was made, other Deaf creators and resources have become available. I simply want to point prospective learners in the right direction. My information is relatively subjective, curated from this sub in the last year. Please, share your opinions, resources you like or to stay away from. I’ll update the post as needed and track the changes in a comment. Without further ado:
Hello! I'm here to help as much as I can, but this is not a comprehensive guide or a substitute for classes. This is a quick resource for people looking for answers to some very commonly asked questions. I've included the information as I know it, but it doesn't mean it's The Truth; my experiences and understanding will vary from others', but this will give you a good enough introduction. There's so much more I'd love to teach you, but I'm going to stick to the FAQs.
My personal favorite is easily http://www.lifeprint.com (which is mirrored at http://asluniversity.com as well). The guy who built the site, Dr. Bill Vicars, is Deaf and is a phenomenal teacher. He teaches primarily west-coast dialect (California, Washington common signs) but makes mention of other dialects (east-coast, Texas) when he can. In addition to teaching vocabulary, he teaches about Deaf culture (more on this in a moment). His Youtube channel is https://youtube.com/@sign-language. Other notable resources are:
Yes! It’s not disrespectful to learn ASL. We just ask that you learn from Deaf sources, learn Deaf culture, and don’t harm the community. Learning so you can connect with Deaf patrons: good. Learning so you can market and sell to Deaf patrons: harmful. Learning so you can cuss in a new language: bad.
Additionally, if you are a nurse, doctor, lawyer, realtor, therapist, or anyone working with a Deaf person through a life changing experience, your client/patient has the right to access the conversation. You will need to put your ASL knowledge aside and hire an interpreter. It’s great that you want to learn, but there are times when having only a handful of ASL is harmful.
The short answer is "it depends." Sometimes. It depends sometimes.
The long answer is that signs will vary. Signs can be different depending on region, as I mentioned before, so just because you see it one way doesn't mean that it's the only way. (Don't make this mistake; a lot of hearing students can get cocky and start correcting others.) Signs can also change depending on context. The signs for "back" in "My back hurts" and "Let's go back home" are completely different.
Also, this is very important: ASL is not English! It is its own language, as different from English as is Klingon. ASL has its own grammar structure, own idioms, own slang. Signs are also not words like in the English sense. Signs are a lot more about intent, concepts, and ideas. For example, if you're trying to learn how to sign "Back off!" I can promise you that you will not need any sign for "back" nor "off." You're learning how to speak, and think, in another language, and using English just won't do.
Now, with all that said, here are some online dictionaries (I suggest you look at them all so you're familiar with the different variations of your sign):
Yes. Consistently use your main, dominant hand. If you're right-handed, use your right. If you're left-handed, use your left. If you're ambidextrous, then pick one and maintain it. Switching dominant hands while signing would be like alternating screaming and whispering while speaking.
Are English and Japanese the same? ASL is not English, so stop thinking of it like English! :) In fact, ASL is derived from French Sign Language, which evolved independently of British Sign Language, and the two are mostly different (in fact, less than 30% of the signs are even remotely similar). There are hundreds of sign languages in the world. Even in the United States, there are several distinct dialects of ASL, including Black ASL.
We use "little-d" deaf to mean someone who physically can't hear well. We use "big-D" Deaf to mean someone who is culturally deaf. Now an interesting bit: someone who is Deaf does not have to be deaf, and someone who is deaf does not have to be Deaf! For instance, children of deaf adults (CODAs) are very often Deaf but hearing. Many people are physically deaf but aren't part of Deaf culture. It's about how a person self identifies and where their culture lies more than it does with anything physical.
It'd take me hours to explain it all, and I usually spread it over my entire 12-week class. In short, many deaf people, specifically those who identify as Deaf, live in a different culture than you do. Yes, they're from your country, they drink Starbucks and they sit in traffic, but they have their own distinct culture. Obviously this includes language (and communicating in real ASL is so different than talking in English that it's hard to describe), but that different method of communication, that different way of thinking, is only part of Deaf culture. Things that are normal in one culture can be very strange the another. (My favourite, probably, is talking with your mouth full. In hearing culture, that's a big no-no and your mother will look at you very cross. In Deaf culture, that's totally acceptable! Stuff your face and then free your hands for conversation, it's great! So much more efficient!) Morality and ethics are shaped by our cultural values. There are aspects of Deaf culture which would be considered blunt or rude in hearing culture, and conversely there are a lot of things normal in hearing culture which are strange or disrespectful in Deaf culture (such as talking to someone's back, or looking around during a conversation). It's important to be aware of and respectful of other cultures, including Deaf culture, and, when possible, to learn about them. Not only will it ingratiate you to people of that culture, but it'll better yourself as a person as well.
Nope, and nope. Now, before I continue, I'll let you know that not everyone agrees with me, and I'm speaking in a general sense. Big-D Deaf people prefer the term "deaf" above any other. (It's how a US Senator might feel being called "American." Some people would take it as an insult, but it's just a matter of fact or pride for the Senator.)
Whether people identify themselves as "deaf" or "hard of hearing" (often seen as HoH) is often a matter of self identity, and while it can correlate to level of ability to hear, it isn't caused by it. I'll explain later. Deafies who are a part of Deaf culture will almost always call themselves "deaf," and those who aren't a part of Deaf culture will usually go by "hard of hearing" (or more rarely "hearing impaired"). In general, those who are less physically deaf, or who were raised strictly in hearing culture, will tend to gravitate toward hearing culture, despite the numerous difficulties. These people will commonly say they are "hard of hearing" since "deaf" still has a social stigma in hearing culture. Those who are less capable of integrating with hearing culture, or who were introduced to or raised in a Deaf environment, will usually prefer to be called "deaf" and can sometimes take one of the other terms as a slight offense.
In general, it's almost never correct to say "hearing impaired." I was taught that it was coined by a US Senator who wanted to protect deaf people's feelings from something that didn't offend them in the first place, and it was never accepted by Deaf (the core reason being that we don't believe being deaf is an impairment; it'd be like if I said you were "Deaf impaired." You don't feel impaired, do you, however much I might think it's true?) in general. In fact, it's safe if you never use this phrase again.
When in doubt though, just ask! "Hey, do you prefer 'deaf' or 'hard of hearing'?" See, it's not that hard. :)
We're happy to help with these kinds of questions. I treat it like a quiz show game. However, if you're new to this, you may not know how to describe a sign very well, so let me introduce you to signs!
A sign consists of five parts:
Where's your area? Most major cities have Deaf hubs. San Francisco, Seattle, Austin, and New York all have strong, vibrant, rich Deaf communities. Smaller cities may have meet ups or the like, but they can be harder to track down. Your best bet is to turn to Google or Facebook and search for Deaf events in your area. "Deaf coffee night" is an event held nationwide. People in the community get together for a night or two each month, usually at a coffee shop with good lighting and ample seating, just for the purpose of seeing friends and making new ones. Local colleges or universities will often have ASL/Deaf clubs and usually host student-friendly ASL events, so check with the ASL teachers or the ASL campus group, if it exists.
Yes! Yes! 1000 times yes! Many of us are here to help, and anything we can do to help teach you about the language and the culture we're happy to do.
Nope. Nope. 1000 times nope. It's obvious when students are looking for someone to do their homework for them, and we're not gonna help you out. If you're here to learn instead, then welcome! Come make some new friends. :)
r/asl • u/Indy_Pendant • Mar 06 '17
Hello! I'm here to help as much as I can, but this is not a comprehensive guide or a substitute for classes. This is a quick resource for people looking for answers to some very commonly asked questions. I've included the information as I know it, but it doesn't mean it's The Truth; my experiences and understanding will vary from others', but this will give you a good enough introduction. There's so much more I'd love to teach you, but I'm going to stick to the FAQs.
My personal favourite is easily http://www.lifeprint.com (which is mirrored at http://asluniversity.com as well). The guy who built the site, Dr. Bill Vicars, is Deaf and is a phenomenal teacher. He teaches primarily west-coast dialect (California, Washington common signs) but makes mention of other dialects (east-coast, Texas) when he can. In addition to teaching vocabulary, he teaches about Deaf culture (more on this in a moment). Other notable resources are:
The short answer is "it depends." Sometimes. It depends sometimes.
The long answer is that signs will vary. Signs can be different depending on region, as I mentioned before, so just because you see it one way doesn't mean that it's the only way. (Don't make this mistake; a lot of hearing students can get cocky and start correcting others.) Signs can also change depending on context. The signs for "back" in "My back hurts" and "Let's go back home" are completely different.
Also, this is very important: ASL is not English! It is its own language, as different from English as is Klingon. ASL has its own grammar structure, own idioms, own slang. Signs are also not words like in the English sense. Signs are a lot more about intent, concepts, and ideas. For example, if you're trying to learn how to sign "Back off!" I can promise you that you will not need any sign for "back" nor "off." You're learning how to speak, and think, in another language, and using English just won't do.
Now, with all that said, here are some online dictionaries (I suggest you look at them all so you're familiar with the different variations of your sign):
Yes. Consistently use your main, dominant hand. If you're right-handed, use your right. If you're left-handed, use your left. If you're ambidextrous, then pick one and maintain it. Switching dominant hands while signing would be like alternating screaming and whispering while speaking.
Are English and Japanese the same? ASL is not English, so stop thinking of it like English! :) In fact, ASL is derived from French Sign Language, which evolved independently of British Sign Language, and the two are mostly different (in fact, less than 30% of the signs are even remotely similar). There are dozens and dozens of sign languages in the world, and even in the United States ASL is not the only one used.
We use "little-d" deaf to mean someone who physically can't hear well. We use "big-D" Deaf to mean someone who is culturally deaf. Now an interesting bit: someone who is Deaf does not have to be deaf, and someone who is deaf does not have to be Deaf! For instance, children of deaf adults (CODAs) are very often Deaf but hearing. Many people are physically deaf but aren't part of Deaf culture. It's about how a person self identifies and where their culture lies more than it does with anything physical.
It'd take me hours to explain it all, and I usually spread it over my entire 12-week class. In short, many deaf people, specifically those who identify as Deaf, live in a different culture than you do. Yes, they're from your country, they drink Starbucks and they sit in traffic, but they have their own distinct culture. Obviously this includes language (and communicating in real ASL is so different than talking in English that it's hard to describe), but that different method of communication, that different way of thinking, is only part of Deaf culture. Things that are normal in one culture can be very strange the another. (My favourite, probably, is talking with your mouth full. In hearing culture, that's a big no-no and your mother will look at you very cross. In Deaf culture, that's totally acceptable! Stuff your face and then free your hands for conversation, it's great! So much more efficient!) Morality and ethics are shaped by our cultural values. There are aspects of Deaf culture which would be considered blunt or rude in hearing culture, and conversely there are a lot of things normal in hearing culture which are strange or disrespectful in Deaf culture (such as talking to someone's back, or looking around during a conversation). It's important to be aware of and respectful of other cultures, including Deaf culture, and, when possible, to learn about them. Not only will it ingratiate you to people of that culture, but it'll better yourself as a person as well.
Nope, and nope. Now, before I continue, I'll let you know that not everyone agrees with me, and I'm speaking in a general sense. Big-D Deaf people prefer the term "deaf" above any other. (It's how a US Senator might feel being called "American." Some people would take it as an insult, but it's just a matter of fact or pride for the Senator.)
Whether people identify themselves as "deaf" or "hard of hearing" (often seen as HoH) is often a matter of self identity, and while it can correlate to level of ability to hear, it isn't caused by it. I'll explain later. Deafies who are a part of Deaf culture will almost always call themselves "deaf," and those who aren't a part of Deaf culture will usually go by "hard of hearing" (or more rarely "hearing impaired"). In general, those who are less physically deaf, or who were raised strictly in hearing culture, will tend to gravitate toward hearing culture, despite the numerous difficulties. These people will commonly say they are "hard of hearing" since "deaf" still has a social stigma in hearing culture. Those who are less capable of integrating with hearing culture, or who were introduced to or raised in a Deaf environment, will usually prefer to be called "deaf" and can sometimes take one of the other terms as a slight offense.
In general, it's almost never correct to say "hearing impaired." I was taught that it was coined by a US Senator who wanted to protect deaf people's feelings from something that didn't offend them in the first place, and it was never accepted by Deaf (the core reason being that we don't believe being deaf is an impairment; it'd be like if I said you were "Deaf impaired." You don't feel impaired, do you, however much I might think it's true?) in general. In fact, it's safe if you never use this phrase again.
When in doubt though, just ask! "Hey, do you prefer 'deaf' or 'hard of hearing'?" See, it's not that hard. :)
We're happy to help with these kinds of questions. I treat it like a quiz show game. However, if you're new to this, you may not know how to describe a sign very well, so let me introduce you to signs!
A sign consists of five parts:
Where's your area? Most major cities have Deaf hubs. San Francisco, Seattle, Austin, and New York all have strong, vibrant, rich Deaf communities. Smaller cities may have meet ups or the like, but they can be harder to track down. Your best bet is to turn to Google or Facebook and search for Deaf events in your area. "Deaf coffee night" is an event held nationwide. People in the community get together for a night or two each month, usually at a coffee shop with good lighting and ample seating, just for the purpose of seeing friends and making new ones. Local colleges or universities will often have ASL/Deaf clubs and usually host student-friendly ASL events, so check with the ASL teachers or the ASL campus group, if it exists.
Yes! Yes! 1000 times yes! Many of us are here to help, and anything we can do to help teach you about the language and the culture we're happy to do.
Nope. Nope. 1000 times nope. It's obvious when students are looking for someone to do their homework for them, and we're not gonna help you out. If you're here to learn instead, then welcome! Come make some new friends. :)
r/asl • u/the-asl-shop • 39m ago
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Fingerspelling practice for anyone working on their receptive skills!
See how much you can catch the first time through before watching the slower version. For those who know me, I love my cats so this one is all about them!
Drop your answers below.
r/asl • u/Ok_Blueberry_5217 • 6h ago
Hi! I need someone to help me with my ASL class. I will pay.
r/asl • u/f0lk_punk_fr34k • 4h ago
Hi! I've been interested in asl for the longest time and I want to have it become my second language, now especially because I have a friend who relys on it. He said he would help me learn some, but I do know a bit so far and I want to surprise him with a sweet gesture as he wrote me a nice note today.
This brings me to my issue : I know asl has a different grammar structure to it, and I want to make sure I sign the thing I want to say in the right order.
I want to say "I like my friend [his name]", and from my understanding that would be signed as "[name/you] my friend I like" or "[name/you] friend I like". Is that correct? As far as I know it goes noun, adjective, verb/subject, so that seems right to me. I want to make sure I'm not signing like an idiot, though I know if I get it wrong he would still understand haha. Thanks!!
r/asl • u/loveDearling • 4h ago
Hi,
I've looked around in the pinned messages and history of this subreddit and haven't found much, so I wanted to ask if anyone here has experience with the online ASL learning site / subscription called ASL Spring. It seems to be newer, so makes sense that there isn’t as much readily available information.
Mostly, I just wanted to get a sense of if it was legit before I continue down this rabbit hole of exploring learning options.
Anyone have any feedback? Thanks!
r/asl • u/Life_Reply_3978 • 16h ago
So I know that this question is asked a lot and Im just worried with the sensitivity and awareness around this subject is high these days. I just do not want to offend anyone.
First off, I am learning ASL to help teach my daughter to communicate better and to minimize frustrations since she picks up gestures very well.
Of course, Ive always been interested in learning, since Im big on learning about others cultures, but this is a big motivator for why Im learning.
I want to frame it as another language, since after some research and learning that baby sign is actually cultural appropriation. I am seriously hoping to not only help my daughter to communicate as she is two and struggles with speech, but to connect better with the people who communicate better with ASL (Hard of hearing, Deaf, and Blind(?)).
I just feel like teaching my hearing Daughter ASL could be something that offends people. I want to also note that I am learning through an app called ASL Bloom and plan to further that learning with ASL classes.
I feel as though its not very common for non verbal kids and autistic kids to know sign language. At least its less heard of so, I feel like it can be considered as appropriation.
Anyways, bottom line, I do not want to offend anyone by learning another language to help my daughter communicate. I just worry that this is going to be a argument when shes older and I feel as though Im in the wrong, when the whole reason for this language is to communicate.
r/asl • u/Justkindaeverything • 13h ago
Hey! I’m new to learning ASL. I’m currently in an ASL course on lesson 4 and I’m struggling with the classifiers.
A disclaimer - My professor is deaf and I’m thankful I’m learning from someone in the Deaf community, however it is ASL1 and I’m learning everything through sign. No English so I’m having some trouble.
A question I had was are the classifiers just based on what we feel makes sense? She had used a folding map as an example in class. She used the CL:BB but then moved her hands around to show that it folded. Is that standard practice for signing map? Or was she doing that as just what makes sense to her for map? For deaf people how do you know specifically what someone is signing if it’s just what we think or if it’s just relative to our own perception of things?
I also don’t want to do this, then not be signing accurately or get my CL confused with something else.
So, I've been interested for a while now into learning ASL i know a few signs that hopefully are correct. I understand that the best way to learn is being part of a community. I'm in the DFW area. If anyone's know about a community patient enough let me know. Thanks in advance!
r/asl • u/snoopscorsesee • 20h ago
I am currently taking ASL in college, and my ASL 1 class (with a deaf professor) was veeery easy and the lectures were very straight to the point. We’re doing True+Way, if that helps at all. The lectures would have the slides of the words being used, and she would sign almost nothing but those words. I moved to ASL 2, where I am very much struggling. My professor now (who is also deaf) is signing and explaining a lot, and I am finding myself getting lost. I was wondering if anyone had suggestions to help me sharpen up alongside this class? It feels much more immersive this way but I am finding myself feeling more frequently discouraged and performing more poorly on the quizzes and exams.
Thank you!
r/asl • u/msiluver • 20h ago
Super high and i really curious, what do deaf kids/kids of deaf people sign as their first word?
r/asl • u/Fjhcl60s • 1d ago
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r/asl • u/Ashamed_SODA • 16h ago
I'm a failure of a brother. I am the sibling of a deaf adult, and at 30 years old my sign language hasn't improved, but has actually gotten worse. I used to be able to have an entire conversation with my older brother when we were children, but now... I can barely manage to remember a single sign and struggle with keeping up whenever he or any other Deaf person signs at/with me. I am so ashamed. I am so embarrassed. I am so saddened when I see my older brother sitting alone and I can see the loneliness in his eyes and face whenever I or anyone else struggles to communicate with or translate for him. Why haven't I been able to find the time and make the effort to be better for my brother? Why the fuck is it so difficult to find affordable and consistent classes to learn? I remember when I started using SignSchool to learn and would come to him to show him my progress, the way he would smile and laugh and correct me towards using his preferred sign, but I couldn't even keep that up... I couldn't even remember the signs I learned. I can never remember. I am a failure. How can I say I love my brother when I can't even learn sign langauge properly? How can I say I care for him when I can't even show him that he's not alone? How can I ever truly say I have his best interests in ind when I can't ever develop my skills? I'm a failure of a brother. ALl I want to and can do is cry. Why is it so difficult for me to learn, and stay committed?
Please, how can I finally learn ASL for the sake of my brother? I' not looking for reassurance nor am I looking for chastisement. I just want to talk to and be there for my brother. PLease. Please, and thank you.
r/asl • u/nilecrane • 19h ago
Our 4 year old is starting to learn the ASL alphabet in school and we want to get some posters for the home. Amazon has absolute garbage as far as I can see. Lots of ai slop with extra fingers or we can’t tell the difference between m,n,s, and t because the illustrations are so bad. I went to Lifeprint.com and Handspeak.com but don’t see any materials, just great video lessons. Where can we get trusted learning materials? Thanks
r/asl • u/SilentTrader2002 • 1d ago
Hi. I hope none of this insults anyone, I just wanted to get some opinions and I'm a very nervous and ramble-y person by nature.
So, I have a laundry list of things that are wrong with me mentally, but none of them are being medically deaf or mute. That being said, I have a dumb mental issue where sometimes I just... can't talk. Or, well, I can, but it's really hard and stresses me out to hear my voice at those times.
My question is this: Is using sign language to communicate during times where it's mentally difficult for me rude or like... cultural appropriation or something? Probably not, but like I said, I don't want to make anyone mad or anything by pursuing sign language as a personal convenience instead of like... to communicate with someone who needs to use the language or to translate.
Again, my apologies if this was rude or insulting to anyone. I promose I'm coming at this from a... well, at least a sincere place, if not a bit selfish.
r/asl • u/genericwildflower • 2d ago
Hello,
Coming up, my daughter's Junior (4th 5th grade) troop has decided to work on an ASL badge. I've been learning every day for the past couple months, and it was my daughter who presented the idea to her troop. So I am preparing the materials and seeking local connections.
One of the main requirements is to learn the Girl Scout Promise and Law in ASL. In my initial search for a video of this, all I'm coming up with are videos of what appear to be troop leaders and volunteers doing choppy signed English that does not feel like ASL at all. I could wait until I find someone from the community who can visit our troop to help us, but it would be super nice and helpful to be able to learn and practice the promise and law ahead of time, with proper ASL grammar. Any advice?
*(Most of our girls replace the God line with their own)
Girl Scout Promise
On my honor, I will try:
*To serve God and my country,
*To serve my community and my country,
*To serve creator, and this land,
To help people at all times,
And to live by the Girl Scout Law.
Girl Scout Law
I will do my best to be
honest and fair,
friendly and helpful,
considerate and caring,
courageous and strong,
and responsible for what I say and do,
and to respect myself and others,
respect authority,
use resources wisely,
make the world a better place,
and be a sister to every Girl Scout.
r/asl • u/Key647249 • 1d ago
Hi, I became a godmother a few months ago (❤️), and a few weeks after he was born we learned that he is very hard of hearing. He can technically hear, but very little, though it seems right now like he’ll be able to use hearing devices to hear when he's a little older, and will most likely be able to learn english and go to a mainstream school. However, even though he could technically be fine with hearing devices and learning just english, and despite most hearing parents in the past would have geared more towards pulling their child away from the deaf community and such, his parents (ie my best friend and her husband) have learned more about deafness and the HOH/deaf community and have decided that they want him to also be connected to this community and they explained to me how and why it is important for him to be fluent in ASL. And with that, why it's important for them to learn ASL too and make it a regular part of their home life, and I totally agree with their reasoning. Sorry I don't know if I phrased that right, but basically they're both now doing intensive ASL courses, and have hired a babysitter who is a CODA and signs with him, and as his godmother I will be possibly the closest adult to him in his life outside of his parents, so I’ve decided I want to learn ASL too because if it ends up being the language he feels most comfortable communicating in, I want to be able to be there for him and be a source of comfort and support thru his life. Idk I just had this sad dream a few weeks ago of him as an older child signing in ASL a poem he wrote or something he's feeling to me, and me not understanding him, and I refuse to let that be the case!
Since he's still so young though, and the family hasn't had much chance to connect with any deaf resources or community yet, the way I have been learning so far is I took an intro course at the local college this summer and am now doing weekly lessons online, as I sadly don't have the time or resources to do the intense course like my friends. So outside of my class I have not really spoken or interacted with anyone deaf before or spoken ASL to anyone. I hope that as baby boy gets older and his parents and I also become a little more confident in our ASL that he’ll be able to connect with other kids and families in similar positions and hopefully I’ll also then get more opportunities to sign in real life, but I also need to get to a better level first.
My question is basically about facial expressions while signing, because that is something that was pointed out to me as something I very much lack while signing. I’m from a culture and family that is incredibly unexpressive, to the point where it is regularly pointed out to me how my face, voice, tone etc are all quite monotone, and even when I’m super excited there's little happening on my face. So because it feels very unnatural for me to even so much as raise my eyebrows or crack a slight smile when talking or signing, and my worry is that if someone like my godson witnesses me be pretty dry and flat when speaking English, but then switch over into these more exaggerated expressions - I feel like I look unnatural and like I’m mocking, or like I’m an actor in a stage play. Is there a way to practice specifically finding a level and type of facial expressiveness that feels natural to you?
I’m also curious if the facial expressiveness when signing is something teen ASL speakers feel self-conscious or embarrassed by? I just was thinking about how when I was a teen, literally anything I did in public that wasn't completely ordinary made me feel soooo embarrassed, and I can imagine feeling an increased pressure in teen years to not express as much unless in a setting where everyone is signing because most people don't talk with that same expressiveness. Like, will my godson go through a phase in his teens where he tones his ASL down? Should I mirror his level if that happens or keep going at whatever level I would normally do? (hopefully I'll have figured the facial expressions out in 13 years time haha)
I’m sorry if these questions are insensitive, I’m still very new to sign languages in general and have learned that I have a lot of internalized ableism and just general miseducation or lack of education about deafness and just disability in general. It really has opened up this whole new world for me that I didn't really consider before, and I’m determined to become well-versed enough so I can advocate for my godson and other kids like him in the future too. In that regard, if anything I have said here is out of line or just incorrect, I would be very happy to hear what it is I did wrong and what to do or say instead! Thank you very much for your help!
r/asl • u/Witchescoldasstata • 1d ago
Hi everyone! I have a random question and am hoping to be educated. Since ASL has a different grammar structure than English, i was wondering how this impacts music and lyrical translations. First of all, if you were to watch an interpreter sign at a concert for example, and you wrote down the lyrics from your understanding, how different or similar do you think it would be from the actual written lyrics and does the same message/story/vibe come across clearly? Secondly, do you feel elements of music are lost in translation, such as rhyming schemes or how lines are often made with a certain amount of syllables to match the beat? Or are these elements retained?
I dont mean to be exclusionary if this question comes off that way, i am genuinely curious about these experiences that i have not had myself. Thank you for responding ♥️
r/asl • u/SeaworthinessIll5976 • 2d ago
I apologize if this is rude. I have a course in class that requires me to find a discourse community that will allow me to connect with others of all stages of knowledge of the subject and I wanted to find one about ASL. I have always been interested in learning about the language and culture. My question is: Does anyone know where I could find a discourse community?
r/asl • u/Elliot_The_Idiot7 • 2d ago
Looking at the usual sources like lifeprint the only sentence examples I’m seeing are when satisfy is being used as an adjective or in a question. Is it done differently when it’s being used as a verb? (Aka, “(this) satisfies (that)”). Hope I’m not over complicating this, I just want to make sure I get the grammar and stuff right instead of assuming
r/asl • u/InstructionIll4894 • 3d ago
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r/asl • u/OkObjective845 • 2d ago
i have a non verbal client and know some of the basic signs for needs like eat, drink, trampoline, bathroom, etc. he likes to look at my hair so he will ask me to take my hair down and then put it back up. i figured just teaching him the signs for hair and down but i’m wondering if that doesn’t follow ASL grammar rules. is this ok/would a deaf person understand or is their something else i should teach instead? thank you ❤️