dDeaf World

Dedicated to teaching the American Sign Language.
Click a word in menu and a movie shows how to "sign" that word.
This site also includes practice tutorials to test your skills
in learning Sign Language for the deaf.

Sponsored by Internet Stained Glass Supply

TO USE THIS PAGE (ALPHABETICAL LIST OF WORDS):

Choose selected words at the left.

You can also learn some of the numbers and the alphabet by clicking on the appropriate link.

To practice or test yourself on what you have learned, click on "Practice" at the left.

SIGNING INFORMATION
Sign Area Clear Signs ASL syntax This page ASL origin

FACIAL EXPRESSION: In signing, facial expression is very important in conveying the meaning of the communication. When signing the word "SAD" one should have a sad expression. When signing the word "HAPPY" there should be a smile to help deliver the meaning. The face, along with body language, should help give the meaning whenever possible.
SIGNING AREA: Most signs are given in front of the chest and just below the face, so that the reader can see your facial expressions while watching your signs. Try to keep the hands centered on the chest and just below the face for most general signs except when a particular sign calls for movements to other areas.
top of page
CLEAR SIGNING Some people have the urge to move their hands in a down and up motion for each letter or word. That makes reading much harder. Generally, keep the hands still from such movements. Signs need not be overly large.
top of page
ASL SYNTAX Strict ASL requires that the time element of a sentence, if there is one, comes first followed by the topic, then the verb etc.. As an example: in speaking one might say, "I SAW A BEAUTIFUL RED CAR YESTERDAY." If that word order were used while signing, people would not know what you are signing about until the end of the sentence.
Strict ASL uses French syntax which gives the time element, then the topic up front. This same sentence in sign language would be: "YESTERDAY CAR BEAUTIFUL RED SAW I."

Although this page uses ASL syntax most of the time and in learning ASL you need to be aware of the correct word order, you need not concern yourself too much by trying to stick strictly to that word order. Deaf and hard-of-hearing people are flexible enough to understand ASL using English syntax.
top of page

UNDERSTANDING THIS PAGE: In this program, italic words or letters are used to describe the shape of your hand to use while making each sign. As an example "using your right p hand" means to use your right hand forming the shape of the letter "p" from the signing alphabet while making this sign. "Using your right bent hand" means to use your right hand in a bent shape while making this sign.
top of page

ORIGIN OF THE AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet was a Philadelphia born theology student of French ancestry who became interested in helping deaf people of the United States. He went to France where a sign language was already established. After learning that language, he and a French colleague developed the American Sign Language patterned after the French version.
For this reason ASL (American Sign Language) uses French syntax. In ASL the time element, if there is one, comes first followed by the topic, then the verb etc..

After learning ASL you can most likely communicate easily with deaf French people, with only one difficulty: when letters are used in a sign, the French people will use the first letter from the French word while English speaking people will use the first letter from the English word. As an example the ASL sign for "people" uses both hands shaped like the sign letter "p," whereas the French will use both hands shaped like the sign letter "g" in the same manner, because the French word for people is "gens."

Now the good news: many words that don't require a letter in their signing; such as "good," "thank-you," "have," "know" etc.; are the same in French and American sign languages. You can speak French and didn't know it!
top of page


HOME Practice Alphabetical Listing The Alphabet The Numbers UNIT 1 Part 1 Sign language Hello What Your Name Where From You Nice Meet Please Happy Sad Understand Deaf Hearing Father Mother Girl Boy Good Bad Thank you Friend Best Friend How Me Feel Sympathy Touch Fine Tired Angry Need Help Part 2 Go there School College University Gallaudett Fingerspell Grandfather Grandmother Wife Husband Brother Sister Uncle Aunt Cousin Baby Son Daughter Live Do Farm Farmer Teach Teacher Learn Student In Out On Off With Without Work Yesterday Today Tomorrow Week Month Year Yes No Why Right Wrong Know Dont know Think Forget Remember Great Bored Read Write Science Math Book Library Study Paper Pencil Homework Problem Class Group Family Team Part 3 Doctor Nurse Medical Hospital Medicine Shot Ambulance Appointment Surgery Late Not yet Later Time Early Wait Room Office Sit Chair Stand Fall Get_up Walk Pain Headache Sick Nose Go there Many A lot When Happen About And Love I love you Like Don't like Want Don't want For Talk Say Tell Part 4 Story Morning Noon Afternoon Night All day All night But Different Same Food Eat Picnic Breakfast Lunch Dinner Milk Coffee Meat Potato Bread Vegetable Orange Orange juice Apple Sandwich Hamburger Pizza Salad Cheese Part 5 Truck Supplies Career Explain Expert Excited Interesting Veterinarian Animal Sheep Horse Donkey Dairy Area Goat Pig Feed Carry If Travel Dog Cat Bird Tiger Lion Elephant Deer Moose Alligator Part 6 President Run Rain Snow Waitress America USA Worry Visit Hungry Arrive Beautiful Cold Restaurant Indian Place Maybe Ask My Now Home Car Drive See Every-day Two-of-you Part 7 Future Past Fun Cheerleader Bus Practice Act Play Sell Store Shopping Gas Okay First Last Second Credit card Finish Order Get Important That Decide Have To Can Try Can't Part 8 Garden Flower Grass Rose Seed Few Things Plant Grow Spring House Back Tomato Lettuce Corn Tree Peach Sure Kind Health Healthy Thin Mixture Spots Business Question Information Recommend Advice Move Follow Part 9 Myself Insurance Telephone Damage Show you Wow Park Near This Note None Responsible Upset Black Find Deductible Fix Above Pay Before Scratch Gone Paint Color Part 10 Vacancy Bedroom Recently New York Alone Goldfish Furniture Bring Any Anything Electric Garbage Next Marry Laundry Wash Garage Washing manchine Hook up All right One hundred Monthly `top of page`		dDeaf World Dedicated to teaching the American Sign Language. Click a word in menu and a movie shows how to "sign" that word. This site also includes practice tutorials to test your skills in learning Sign Language for the deaf. Sponsored by Internet Stained Glass Supply TO USE THIS PAGE (ALPHABETICAL LIST OF WORDS): Choose selected words at the left. You can also learn some of the numbers and the alphabet by clicking on the appropriate link. To practice or test yourself on what you have learned, click on "Practice" at the left. SIGNING INFORMATION Sign Area Clear Signs ASL syntax This page ASL origin FACIAL EXPRESSION: In signing, facial expression is very important in conveying the meaning of the communication. When signing the word "SAD" one should have a sad expression. When signing the word "HAPPY" there should be a smile to help deliver the meaning. The face, along with body language, should help give the meaning whenever possible. SIGNING AREA: Most signs are given in front of the chest and just below the face, so that the reader can see your facial expressions while watching your signs. Try to keep the hands centered on the chest and just below the face for most general signs except when a particular sign calls for movements to other areas. `top of page` CLEAR SIGNING Some people have the urge to move their hands in a down and up motion for each letter or word. That makes reading much harder. Generally, keep the hands still from such movements. Signs need not be overly large. `top of page` ASL SYNTAX Strict ASL requires that the time element of a sentence, if there is one, comes first followed by the topic, then the verb etc.. As an example: in speaking one might say, "I SAW A BEAUTIFUL RED CAR YESTERDAY." If that word order were used while signing, people would not know what you are signing about until the end of the sentence. Strict ASL uses French syntax which gives the time element, then the topic up front. This same sentence in sign language would be: "YESTERDAY CAR BEAUTIFUL RED SAW I." Although this page uses ASL syntax most of the time and in learning ASL you need to be aware of the correct word order, you need not concern yourself too much by trying to stick strictly to that word order. Deaf and hard-of-hearing people are flexible enough to understand ASL using English syntax. `top of page` UNDERSTANDING THIS PAGE: In this program, italic words or letters are used to describe the shape of your hand to use while making each sign. As an example "using your right p hand" means to use your right hand forming the shape of the letter "p" from the signing alphabet while making this sign. "Using your right bent hand" means to use your right hand in a bent shape while making this sign. `top of page` ORIGIN OF THE AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet was a Philadelphia born theology student of French ancestry who became interested in helping deaf people of the United States. He went to France where a sign language was already established. After learning that language, he and a French colleague developed the American Sign Language patterned after the French version. For this reason ASL (American Sign Language) uses French syntax. In ASL the time element, if there is one, comes first followed by the topic, then the verb etc.. After learning ASL you can most likely communicate easily with deaf French people, with only one difficulty: when letters are used in a sign, the French people will use the first letter from the French word while English speaking people will use the first letter from the English word. As an example the ASL sign for "people" uses both hands shaped like the sign letter "p," whereas the French will use both hands shaped like the sign letter "g" in the same manner, because the French word for people is "gens." Now the good news: many words that don't require a letter in their signing; such as "good," "thank-you," "have," "know" etc.; are the same in French and American sign languages. You can speak French and didn't know it! `top of page`