American Sign Language

Starr Polish · 08-07-2002, 06:52 PM

I'm getting really interested in American Sign Language, or ASL, and was wondering if any of you could recommend any web sites or books that would be helpful in learning it. I've found a few websites, but most of them use drawings that are hard to understand, or are very rough.

So far, I can 'say' the alphabet and my full name, I know how to greet someone and ask them who they are, and I can say "happy to meet you". I also know the signs for mother, father, sister, brother and family.

***Khamûl*** · 08-07-2002, 07:29 PM

Here's a website that has some sign language in Quicktime format. I haven't personally checked it out, so I don't know how well it works. And this is a fingerspelling site that looks good. Finally, here is ASL Online.

By the way, I used to be able to say "You are an ugly refrigerator" in sign language. I'm not quite sure why I knew that though...

Faramir · 08-07-2002, 10:53 PM

Do you just want to learn it for fun or do you have a particular reason? I know you kinda said why, but do you have a more in depth reason?

Starr Polish · 08-07-2002, 11:23 PM

Just to learn something. I love to learn. I have no deaf family members, but I know I will probably meet some deaf people, and I'm already thinking about adopting a deaf child when I'm an adult, and I'd like to be prepared in case I happen to give birth to a deaf child.
I could help people if I knew ASL, by being an interpreter or a teacher.

galadriel88 · 08-07-2002, 11:29 PM

Oh, i love sign language! I ahve learned thie signs to the songs God Bless America and God Bless the USA, and several other random signs, like McDonald's, noodles, ketchup, taco, stop, sleep, hungry, now, etc. But most of what I've learned is exact english and not ASL.

Starr Polish · 08-07-2002, 11:31 PM

Well, I would rather do ASL, since it is the more 'conversational' of the two, but one of the books i got from the library is just plain English, because some of the signs vary from what I already knew.

I found a place that shows you how to sign the Lord's Prayer...

galadriel88 · 08-07-2002, 11:36 PM

Oh cool! Where is it?

Faramir · 08-07-2002, 11:39 PM

Hmm, that's very intersesting SP.

Starr Polish · 08-07-2002, 11:42 PM

Why is it so 'very interesting', Faramir?

I'll PM it Galadriel88, so I don't get edited for advertising.

BeardofPants · 08-08-2002, 03:39 AM

That *is* cool, SP. I only learnt the alphabet, and me and my cousin used to sign each other in secret. I don't know if I could recall it any more though. And I'm quite lucky, I'm partially deaf, but not deaf enough to need signing.

08-07-2002, 06:52 PM	#1
Starr Polish Elf Lord Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Slow down and I sail on the river, slow down and I walk to the hill Posts: 2,389	American Sign Language I'm getting really interested in American Sign Language, or ASL, and was wondering if any of you could recommend any web sites or books that would be helpful in learning it. I've found a few websites, but most of them use drawings that are hard to understand, or are very rough. So far, I can 'say' the alphabet and my full name, I know how to greet someone and ask them who they are, and I can say "happy to meet you". I also know the signs for mother, father, sister, brother and family. __________________ “The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, but wiser people so full of doubts.” –Bertrand Russell

08-07-2002, 07:29 PM	#2
*Khamûl* Slacker Warrior Admin Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Alabama Posts: 2,759	Here's a website that has some sign language in Quicktime format. I haven't personally checked it out, so I don't know how well it works. And this is a fingerspelling site that looks good. Finally, here is ASL Online. By the way, I used to be able to say "You are an ugly refrigerator" in sign language. I'm not quite sure why I knew that though... __________________ "If the giving of information is to be the cure of your inquisitiveness, I shall spend all the rest of my days in answering you." Gandalf to Pippin Psalm 107:31

08-07-2002, 10:53 PM	#3
Faramir Elven Warrior Join Date: May 2002 Location: Ithilien Posts: 353	Do you just want to learn it for fun or do you have a particular reason? I know you kinda said why, but do you have a more in depth reason? __________________ This is the Window of the Sunset, Henneth Annun, fairest of all the falls of Ithilien, land of many fountains."-Faramir, Chapter IV, The Two Towers ========================== FRODO LIVES!!! ========================== YODA IS DA MAN!!! ========================== I Love Jesus!

08-07-2002, 11:23 PM	#4
Starr Polish Elf Lord Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Slow down and I sail on the river, slow down and I walk to the hill Posts: 2,389	Just to learn something. I love to learn. I have no deaf family members, but I know I will probably meet some deaf people, and I'm already thinking about adopting a deaf child when I'm an adult, and I'd like to be prepared in case I happen to give birth to a deaf child. I could help people if I knew ASL, by being an interpreter or a teacher. __________________ “The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, but wiser people so full of doubts.” –Bertrand Russell

08-07-2002, 11:29 PM	#5
galadriel88 Halfwitted Queen of Lothlorien Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Far off in a dream Posts: 1,166	Oh, i love sign language! I ahve learned thie signs to the songs God Bless America and God Bless the USA, and several other random signs, like McDonald's, noodles, ketchup, taco, stop, sleep, hungry, now, etc. But most of what I've learned is exact english and not ASL. __________________ The beuatiful mind/The beautiful heart/Doesn't deserve the pain/How can I stop the rain? -How Can I Stop the Rain? by Kessid, my new favorite band +Every good thing that comes into my life is only a reflection of the greatest gift of all; the offering of yourself, dear Son of God+ Always remember, you're uniqe, just like everybody else! "The one constant through all the years has been the Trombone. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. Its been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt and erased again, but the Trombone has marked the time. This field, this section, this band is a part of our past. It reminds us of all that once was good, and could be again. Oh, people will come . . . people will most definitely come."

08-07-2002, 11:31 PM	#6
Starr Polish Elf Lord Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Slow down and I sail on the river, slow down and I walk to the hill Posts: 2,389	Well, I would rather do ASL, since it is the more 'conversational' of the two, but one of the books i got from the library is just plain English, because some of the signs vary from what I already knew. I found a place that shows you how to sign the Lord's Prayer... __________________ “The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, but wiser people so full of doubts.” –Bertrand Russell

08-07-2002, 11:36 PM	#7
galadriel88 Halfwitted Queen of Lothlorien Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Far off in a dream Posts: 1,166	Oh cool! Where is it? __________________ The beuatiful mind/The beautiful heart/Doesn't deserve the pain/How can I stop the rain? -How Can I Stop the Rain? by Kessid, my new favorite band +Every good thing that comes into my life is only a reflection of the greatest gift of all; the offering of yourself, dear Son of God+ Always remember, you're uniqe, just like everybody else! "The one constant through all the years has been the Trombone. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. Its been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt and erased again, but the Trombone has marked the time. This field, this section, this band is a part of our past. It reminds us of all that once was good, and could be again. Oh, people will come . . . people will most definitely come."

08-07-2002, 11:39 PM	#8
Faramir Elven Warrior Join Date: May 2002 Location: Ithilien Posts: 353	Hmm, that's very intersesting SP. __________________ This is the Window of the Sunset, Henneth Annun, fairest of all the falls of Ithilien, land of many fountains."-Faramir, Chapter IV, The Two Towers ========================== FRODO LIVES!!! ========================== YODA IS DA MAN!!! ========================== I Love Jesus!

08-07-2002, 11:42 PM	#9
Starr Polish Elf Lord Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Slow down and I sail on the river, slow down and I walk to the hill Posts: 2,389	Why is it so 'very interesting', Faramir? I'll PM it Galadriel88, so I don't get edited for advertising. __________________ “The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, but wiser people so full of doubts.” –Bertrand Russell

08-08-2002, 03:39 AM	#10
BeardofPants the Shrike Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: San Francisco, CA <3 Posts: 10,647	That is cool, SP. I only learnt the alphabet, and me and my cousin used to sign each other in secret. I don't know if I could recall it any more though. And I'm quite lucky, I'm partially deaf, but not deaf enough to need signing. __________________ "Binary solo! 0000001! 00000011! 0000001! 00000011!" ~ The Humans are Dead, Flight of the Conchords

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