American Sign Language, Vocabulary, Grammar, Etiquette

by Peter Adams

American Sign Language (ASL) is a complex range of hand and facial gestures used among deaf and hearing-impaired communities throughout the United States and Canada. It is a rich, colorful, and diverse language, which is quite distinct from spoken or written English. This directory is a basic introduction to the vocabulary, grammar, and etiquette of ASL. It begins with numbers and the letters of the alphabet, before moving on to a range of common words and simple phrases. It is a suitable guide for all newcomers to the language, and includes:

An introduction to the fourth most commonly used language in the United States.<?XML:NAMESPACE PREFIX = O /> A starter’s guide to the principles of ASL Graphic illustrations showing the handshapes, movements, and facial gestures for each word, phrase, letter, or number.

Genres: Reference, Nonfiction

208 pages, Ring Binder

First published January 1, 2005

Reviews

[Katrina Morris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good for VERY beginning ASL. It has many common words and phrases that are helpful and some background info about the structure and history of ASL. Good stuff to know, but the drawings can be a tad unclear.