Friday, January 04, 2008

American Sign Language Dictionary

This is a marvelous website for non-signing people to learn how to communicate in ASL (American Sign Language). If you are a writer, you might one day create a deaf character or need to have your character find alternate ways of communicating.

When I was a Girl Scout Troop Leader, we had a deaf girl in our troop and the girls thought it was wonderful that they could pick up a little signing from this girl and use it to "speak" to each other in school without the necessity of having to pass notes and get caught by the teacher. Ha ha, kids will figure out how to be mischievious.

It's a good thing to learn at least a little of another language, especially one used by millions of your fellow Americans.

FROM THE WEBSITE:

Here are a few American Sign Language terms to help those of you who are trying to communicate with a person who signs, but does not hear. New word definitions are being added, and this will soon bring the total number of ASL terms to more than 1270! Also included is the basic alphabet and numbers 1-10.

This dictionary has both animated and text definitions. The text definitions also have letter or number sign images to aid in visualizing the sign. This will allow you to quickly locate a word, read how to sign the word, and choose to view the animated sign if you wish.

The sign images are displayed from the perspective of the viewer, not the signer. It is easy to remember this if you imagine that someone is signing to you while you are viewing the word definitions.

Our goal in making this resource available is to help those who desire to learn ASL, and enable them to communicate more easily with others.

Animations use the QuickTime plug-in.

A FEW EXAMPLES:

Thank you (you're welcome) : Touch the lips with the fingertips of one or both flat hands, then move the hands forward until the palms are facing up.

Please (enjoy, like) : Make a counterclockwise circle with the right flat hand over the heart.

Beautiful : The right hand, fingers closed over the thumb, is placed at or just below the lips. It then describes a counterclockwise circle around the face, opening into the '5'position, to indicate the whole face. At the completion of the circling movement, the hand comes to rest in its initial position, at or just below the lips.

How are you? : Both middle fingers quickly sweep up and out from the chest. The eyebrows are raised in inquiry.

Huh? : The downturned curved right index finger is thrown out and forward very slightly, while the signer follows the finger with a very slight forward movement of the body. An expression of inquiry or perplexity is assumed.

Help (assist, aid) : The left 'S' hand, thumb up, rests in the open right palm. Both hands are then pushed up a slight distance.

Danger (eous) : The left 'A' hand is held palm toward the body, knuckles facing right. The extended thumb of the right 'A' hand is brought sharply over the back of the left.

Safe (noun & adjective) : The 'S' hands, crossed in front of the body, swing apart and face out.

Error (mistake) : The right 'Y' hand, palm facing the body is brought up to the chin.

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