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American Sign Language - anyone?
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| justfoundout |
Posted on December 28 2008 02:54 AM
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Member
Location: Texas USA
Posts: 6136
Joined: 2008-05-25
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12/27/08
I know sign language for the deaf. Mine is more "Signing Exact English" than "American Sign Language". I'd like to take some American Sign Language classes sometime. Does anyone else here 'sign'? - jus' |
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| CheshireKat |
Posted on December 28 2008 03:25 AM
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Member
Location: United States
Posts: 1860
Joined: 2008-11-14
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I used to work at a pet store, and my boss was fluent in American Sign Language (ASL). I worked there every summer for about 3 years, and she taught me and another girl signs in our down time. She used to teach ASL to deaf children in the community, so teaching us wasn't a far step removed, lol.
One of the things I learned about ASL is that it has a distinct grammar, just like any other language. The grammar pattern is more like Spanish than English - that is, you would say "the house blue" instead of "the blue house". That was the hardest thing for me to pick up on, was the grammar - when I signed with her, I basically pasted ASL signs to SAE (Standard American English) grammar. It was comprehensible, but grammatically incorrect.
I am thinking about taking ASL next semester, although the class is extremely difficult to get into! I'd like to work with special education children, and knowing ASL would benefit me immensely in tutoring physically handicapped children.
"The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings." - Eric Hoffer |
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| classclownfish |
Posted on December 28 2008 03:36 AM
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Member
Location: MD
Posts: 125
Joined: 2007-10-12
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I'm learning ASL because the college I go to also has a college within it for deaf students. I may become a RA next year and I am interested in working on a mainstream (deaf, hard of hearing and hearing students together) so I may have to learn ASL. There are classes I can take for my communications credits too.
But I am really excited, ASL is cool 
Edited by classclownfish on December 28 2008 05:37 AM
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| downtown |
Posted on December 28 2008 03:45 AM
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Location: U.S.A.
Posts: 20
Joined: 2007-05-11
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I just completed ASL 1 and signed up for ASL 2. It's a challenge to remember all that Iv'e learned thus far because I don't use it every day. I think that would be the best road to success in ASL is to use it everyday. |
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| Rae |
Posted on December 28 2008 04:01 AM
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Location: No value
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Joined: 2008-11-26
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Lol Jus! We always have so much in common. I am deaf in one ear and I have a fear that I might one day completely loose my hearing so I would love to learn sign language also.
Good luck with that, I'd like to know how it goes. Right now, I'm trying to find a credit course in ASL. |
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| justfoundout |
Posted on December 28 2008 06:26 AM
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Member
Location: Texas USA
Posts: 6136
Joined: 2008-05-25
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12/27/08
Wow! I've really enjoyed all the positive feed back on this Sign Language Thread. That's very fulfilling.
I was a Sign Language Interpreter at my first college (the one where I'd have my degree if it weren't for the College Agebra), but I only worked at it for a couple of weeks. I like to do a good job at whatever I'm doing, and I know that I need to take some classes to get (as CheshireKat mentioned) the grammar straightened out. So the ASL classes fill up quick, Kat?
Classclownfish, that's so interesting that there's a deaf college within your college. What a great opportunity for you to get to practice with 'educated deaf'. You'll be on the road to being a teacher in Sign Language. I visited Gaulledet in MD and stayed for a week. That was many years ago.
Downtown, you've actually taken the first ASL class! Was that a college credit class? I hope that I can do the same. My problem right now is that I'm on a grant, and it will only pay for courses that are required for my degree. And there's no money and no time for the ASL class until I get my degree.
Rae, I completely understand your fear of losing hearing in your remaining ear. I had a bad case of 'stopped up ears' a couple of years ago. It felt like when your ears won't 'pop' after you get out of an elevator or plane. And I didn't have insurance, so I didn't go to the doctor. It lasted for about a week. I was so glad that I knew sign language, because, although I doubted that the condition would last permanently, I knew that I could at least find the deaf community and have friends and communication in that sad event. Let us know if you get into the credit course. - jus'
Edited by justfoundout on December 28 2008 06:28 AM |
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| RottieWoman |
Posted on January 01 2009 07:08 AM
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Location: No value
Posts: 3063
Joined: 2008-12-31
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oops -sorry am new and put my reply to this ASL thread under a new thread altogther - I'm RottieWoman. My husband is very oral but has a severe bilateral congenital hearing loss due to his birth mother having had German Measles.
On a continuing note........I would also like to take an ASL 2 class held by local resource center for Deaf/people with hearing loss.
Best wishes on your ASL 2 class, downtown.
And yes, you're right about the grammatical, CheshireKat - I took Spanish as a major in college - but had not really thought about the comparison until you mentioned it. Thanks!
I have found what sign I do know to very useful in everyday situations when encountering Deaf people. |
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| Pixie |
Posted on May 01 2010 10:32 AM
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Location: No value
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I don't know much but I know enough to get me by really. I would love to learn it all though no one taught me I picked it up of my deaf friend Ellie. |
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| justfoundout |
Posted on May 01 2010 10:57 AM
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Member
Location: Texas USA
Posts: 6136
Joined: 2008-05-25
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5/1/10
My interested in sign language started when I was very young, Pixie. The man who my dad hired to paint his barbershop was deaf,... and very friendly. His voice was 'squeaky', which really got my attention, as a 10 year old kid. Seeing that I was interested in communicating with him, he produced from his pocket a small piece of paper with the manual alphabet printed on it, and began teaching it to me,... and finally gave me the piece of paper to take with me. That was the beginning of my life-long interest in sign language. We never know what small thing we might do or say that will make another person 'think' and go on to do something great with it. - jus'
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| RottieWoman |
Posted on May 01 2010 06:16 PM
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Location: No value
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hi 'jus, I enjoyed that remembrance you just posted |
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| justfoundout |
Posted on May 01 2010 06:52 PM
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Member
Location: Texas USA
Posts: 6136
Joined: 2008-05-25
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5/1/10
Thanks, RW,... it was my pleasure to share it. - jus' |
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| RottieWoman |
Posted on May 01 2010 08:30 PM
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| CheshireKat |
Posted on May 01 2010 08:51 PM
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Location: United States
Posts: 1860
Joined: 2008-11-14
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Jus, that is a really great story. It's so true how you never know when you're giving someone a gift that they will carry with them forever. I bet that man never knew that by doing something so simple and kind, he would live on in your memory forever.
"The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings." - Eric Hoffer |
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| justfoundout |
Posted on May 02 2010 02:07 PM
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Member
Location: Texas USA
Posts: 6136
Joined: 2008-05-25
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5/2/10
Actually, there's more to the story. After I returned from living in South America, I found that one of my cousins had become an interpreter, and that she had been helping that same man. I sent him greetings through her. - jus' |
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| Kestrel6 |
Posted on May 03 2010 12:21 PM
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Location: Houston TX
Posts: 448
Joined: 2009-08-26
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I taught Special Ed for a few years and picked up some pidgin ASL; lots of the special needs kids find it easier to communicate that way even if they can hear.
Blessed are the PURR in heart! |
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| RottieWoman |
Posted on May 03 2010 12:28 PM
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Location: No value
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when I first started learning lot of it was PSE - while technically <PSE that is> not a language, depending on where one is in States PSE and ASL can be used interchangeably or somewhat mixed together by some signers.
I imagine as a kid in Ex Ed I would have been quite relieved to have found a way to communicate; however there is a very real debate/concern in the Deaf/siging community that PSE and much more specifically ASL is so easily and readily used for hearing kids with disabilities while at SAME time <ASL in particular> denied for hoh and d/Deaf kids.
Edited by RottieWoman on May 03 2010 12:30 PM |
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| justfoundout |
Posted on May 03 2010 01:45 PM
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Member
Location: Texas USA
Posts: 6136
Joined: 2008-05-25
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5/3/10
PSE = Pidgin Signed English. ASL = American Sign Language
SEE = Signing Exact English
http://www.listen.../sign2.htm
"ASL, SEE Sign, & Signed English
Many teachers use PSE or Signed English. The vocabulary is drawn from ASL but follows English word order."
- jus'
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| RottieWoman |
Posted on May 03 2010 02:16 PM
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Location: No value
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appreciate link/info. 'jus
<me thinking aloud>
this is my understanding so far-
ASL/BSL/AUSLAN =language
SEE, SEE2, CASE, cued speech, are all MCE's and used as teaching tools or contacts but are not languages.
PSE is a mix of ASL and English but not an invented "system",
used as communication "bridge".
<learned from my friends here and TOD's>
Edited by RottieWoman on May 03 2010 02:22 PM |
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| justfoundout |
Posted on May 03 2010 02:44 PM
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Member
Location: Texas USA
Posts: 6136
Joined: 2008-05-25
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5/3/10
When I don't know what an acronym means, I find reading them very annoying. My only defense is to look them up and make a vocabulary list. - jus'
PSE = Pidgin Signed English.
ASL = American Sign Language
SEE = Signing Exact English
BSL = British Sign Language
Auslan = Australian sign language
MCE = Manually Coded English
TOD’s =Teachers of the Deaf
http://en.wikiped...n_Language
http://en.wikiped...iki/Auslan
http://en.wikiped...ed_English
http://www.allert...-Us/DAHIT/ |
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| CheshireKat |
Posted on May 03 2010 02:52 PM
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Member
Location: United States
Posts: 1860
Joined: 2008-11-14
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What is the difference between ASL, BSL, and AUSLAN? They're all forms of signed English language, are there "slang" differences the way there are in spoken languages between the three?
"The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings." - Eric Hoffer |
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