One of the biggest misconceptions about American Sign Language (ASL) is the idea that it is simply “English on the hands.” It’s an easy assumption to make—especially for beginners—because ASL often uses English words as labels. But make no mistake: ASL is not English.It is a fully independent language with its own grammar, structure, and […]
One of the biggest misconceptions about American Sign Language (ASL) is the idea that it’s simply English signed.That ASL is just English words placed on the hands. It’s not. And understanding why that matters is essential for anyone learning ASL—or teaching it. ASL Is a Language, Not a Code ASL is a fully developed, natural language with its own: Just […]
Understanding the Meaning, Etiquette, and Cultural Significance of Name Signs in ASL If you’re beginning to learn American Sign Language (ASL) or have recently started engaging with the Deaf community, you may have come across the concept of a “name sign.” Name signs are more than just a convenient way to refer to someone—they are […]
Unlocking One of the Most Powerful Tools in American Sign Language If you’re learning American Sign Language (ASL), you’ve probably heard the term “classifier” come up again and again. But what exactly are classifiers? Why are they so important? And how can you begin using them like a pro? Let’s break it down. What Are Classifiers? In […]
One of the most interesting and unique parts of ASL is the fact that the verb “to be” is absent from the language. This is something that you have already learned, but may not be aware that you know. For example: The sentence “I am going to the store” is signed as “STORE I GO”. […]
One misconception about American Sign Language is the belief that there is a sign for every word. However, unlike the English Language, ASL is based on communication through concepts. One example is the word “car”. There is not a specific sign for “car,” rather, the interpretation of it could include several synonyms or related words, […]
Question: Is there such a thing as a “dominant” and “non-dominant hand-rule? Answer: The answer is “Yes”. American Sign Language does have “rules” about dominate-hand usage. The hand you write with usually becomes your dominant hand when signing. For example, if you are right handed, the signs that require movement will be made with this […]
Synonyms in American Sign Language are powerful to know when learning this vast language. For example, if you were to sign “car”, what else could that sign represent? It could represent the words: Vehicle, automobile, transportation, and auto. You can probably think of an additional word or two that also means “car”. Many times when […]
We recently received an email from a student about the use of non-manual markers. This person wanted to know how non-manual markers are used in American Sign Language. Does ASLdeafined show the use of non-manual markers? Non-manual markers include the use of facial expressions, body language, head movements, eye gazes, etc. For example, if you […]
Many people have asked us about how to sign verbs in American Sign Language (ASL). Now, with most languages, a complete sentence would consist of at least one noun and one verb. However, in many cases, American Sign Language doesn’t have verb conjugations. And, there are NO “To be verbs” in ASL. In English, the […]