Question about putting sentences together with ASL

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Abby

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Can you just put any words together to form a sentence?

Or is it different?

Like can I look up the words Nice, to, meet, you, separately and put them together to make a sentence?
 
No you can not. The structure is different. It would really be a good idea to take classes.
 
I wish I could help you with ASL but I am not proficient at it. :( I need to take ASL classes, LOL! :P
 
Abby said:
Can you just put any words together to form a sentence?

Or is it different?

Like can I look up the words Nice, to, meet, you, separately and put them together to make a sentence?
Click to expand...

No, ASL and spoken english is different, the ASL Structure is like this example below

Spoken English: Nice to meet you

ASL: Nice meet you. (Shorten to make the conversation quicker and understandable)
 
ASL is a short sign language sentence, not necessary complete exactly English sign language. Short sign language sentence which omit is, the, just for example. ASL has body language, face expression, and new sign language vocabulary.
 
Spoken English: Nice to meet you.
Sign Exactly English: Nice to meet you.
American Sign language: Nice meet you.


Spoken English: Do you want to go to the party?
Sign Exactly English: Do you want to go to the party?
American Sign Language: You party go?
 
You can't really put ASL together into sentences.

ASL doesn't really follow specific grammar structures. One sentence could be said in different ways... but the big thing that ASL lacks is words like "is" "are" "am" etc.
 
But would deaf people still understand me if I just put sentences together?

I mean, either way I am going to take an ASL class very soon, but in the mean time...
 
Abby said:
Can you just put any words together to form a sentence?

Or is it different?

Like can I look up the words Nice, to, meet, you, separately and put them together to make a sentence?
Click to expand...

Abby, I suggest you first learn ABC's finger spelling , second learn Sign Exactly English (SEE) then third learn American Sign Language (ASL). You could accomplished ABC's finger spelling in less than 3 months. To achieve SEE, it could takes you about a year. After SEE, you can go advanced ASL which will takes you between 6 months to 1 year. Just remember your learning depends on motivation, commitment, your effort, and your time management. :hmm: :hmm: :cool2:
 
Abby said:
But would deaf people still understand me if I just put sentences together?

I mean, either way I am going to take an ASL class very soon, but in the mean time...
Click to expand...
They probably wouldn't understand you.

If you took ASL and put it together in a sentence that made sense to yourself, then it would no longer be in ASL.

For instance, I would probably say this in English... "I am going to my friend's house for a party." In ASL, it would be... "FRIEND PARTY ME GO" or "ME GO FRIEND PARTY".
 
VamPyroX said:
For instance, I would probably say this in English... "I am going to my friend's house for a party." In ASL, it would be... "FRIEND PARTY ME GO" or "ME GO FRIEND PARTY".
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I think that is interesting because since its also english, you'd think it was the same.

Like how in spanish you put the sentences together differently.

Interesting.

Keep this coming.

I like what I read. I almost wrote "I like what I hear" then I thought that would be rude. :hmm:
 
Abby said:
I think that is interesting because since its also english, you'd think it was the same.

Like how in spanish you put the sentences together differently.

Interesting.

Keep this coming.

I like what I read. I almost wrote "I like what I hear" then I thought that would be rude. :hmm:
Click to expand...

ASL Structures is the same thing with AUSLAN too :thumb:
 
I once visited a sign language class my mom was going to. It was when I was a kid and used SEE. They were shocked to see me sign SEE, not ASL. :shock:
 
Abby said:
Can you just put any words together to form a sentence?

Or is it different?

Like can I look up the words Nice, to, meet, you, separately and put them together to make a sentence?
Click to expand...

The grammar is all spatial and its typically in the form, when signs are put together, sov or topic comment.

http://www.lifeprint.com/asl101/pages-layout/grammar.htm

http://www.ltcconline.net/ASLLT/scstructure.htm

One way of cheating is to sign with only one sign. :D Answers for example, typically can be given with only one sign.
 
ASL also has classifiers in which a whole concept is made in one sign depending on the context.

Despite what some others say, ASL was not created to shorten the conversations. In linguistics class, we studied and analyzed ASL and English and both are completely separate languages with their own syntax and grammatical rules.

Very complicated to explain via posting so my strong recommendation is to take classes or immerse yourself in an ASL environment.

Good luck!
 
Abby said:
I think that is interesting because since its also english, you'd think it was the same.

Like how in spanish you put the sentences together differently.

Interesting.

Keep this coming.

I like what I read. I almost wrote "I like what I hear" then I thought that would be rude. :hmm:
Click to expand...

Do not make the mistake of believing that ASL is simply English on the hands. ASL is a separate and complete language from English. It follows its own syntactical rules and grammatical structures.

English is an oral language meant to be processed by the auditory system. Therefore, it follows the linear syntax that the brain uses to process auditory information. ASL is a visual language. It follows the time oriented, spatial syntax that the brain uses to process visual information.

Likewise, words and signs do not always equate. Concept does. You cannot simply take an ASL sign and assign it an English word equivilent and be understood. For instance, In English, one would say, "I visited Japan." In ASL one would sign, "Touch Japan me past." The concept is that the person actually was physically present in Japan, therefore, conceptually, they have "touched" Japan.

I agree with Shel. One cannot simply learn some signs and "know" sign language any more than one can learn some words in a spoken foreign language and "know" that language.
 
VamPyroX said:
You can't really put ASL together into sentences.

ASL doesn't really follow specific grammar structures. One sentence could be said in different ways... but the big thing that ASL lacks is words like "is" "are" "am" etc.
Click to expand...
ASL doesn't follow English grammar structure but ASL does follow ASL grammar structure. :)
 
Abby said:
But would deaf people still understand me if I just put sentences together?
Click to expand...
You couldn't have a meaningful conversation that way.

BUT if you use simple greetings and courtesy expressions, most deaf people will understand, and usually tolerate, responding accordingly. They have a lot of experience with understanding the umpteen ways that novice signers try, "Nice to meet you," "please", "thank you", and "My name is".

Same thing happens at a Mexican restaurant when I awkwardly say "gracias" or "bueno". It's imperfect but they understand and appreciate the effort.

Of course, just as others here have suggested, if you really want to learn the language and culture, you need to attend classes, and interact with deaf signers.

You can get a better idea of ASL "sentences" if you look at the Conversational Phrases section of ASLPRO.com:

http://www.aslpro.com/cgi-bin/aslpro/phrases.cgi
 
shel90 said:
ASL also has classifiers in which a whole concept is made in one sign depending on the context.

Despite what some others say, ASL was not created to shorten the conversations. In linguistics class, we studied and analyzed ASL and English and both are completely separate languages with their own syntax and grammatical rules.

Very complicated to explain via posting so my strong recommendation is to take classes or immerse yourself in an ASL environment.

Good luck!
Click to expand...

Dont forget also: Deixis, indexic, Indexical verbs, pro-droping, Affixes, Reduplication, hand shape & location, etc.. If anyone wants to know more about this there is something called Asl Morphology. Google "Asl Morphology"
 
ASL not english

Abby said:
I think that is interesting because since its also english, you'd think it was the same.

Like how in spanish you put the sentences together differently.

Interesting.

Keep this coming.

I like what I read. I almost wrote "I like what I hear" then I thought that would be rude. :hmm:
Click to expand...

Hello I use ASL, English, and Spanish and I have to tell you that ASL is not English. You use english to learn it but I've seen french speakers and Spanish speakers learn ASL. There is no doubt that there has been American Influence but ASL is not English. Infact England uses British Sign Language BSL.
Once I met a man from the Philipines who learned ASL in his country.
Also, it is NOT rude to say to a Deaf person "I like what I hear" just as much it isn't rude to when you say to a blind person "see what I mean?"
I know it's a different world and I hope you learn this beautiful language and make tons of Deaf friends.
 
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