Stupid Questions from an ASL Rookie

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laurabeth

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Hi Everyone! :wave:

I am currently attempting to learn ASL through a community college class and an online website suggested by the forum. I'm running into a few (what seems to me) very stupid questions, but I can't seem to get a straight answer from my instructor. Maybe I could ask here?

1- With fingerspelling, does it matter which hand I use, provided that the form is correct?

2-Sometimes I have encountered the same word being signed in slightly different ways - for example, I have seen the word for "deaf" signed as either a) a thumb being dragged from the ear to the mouth, or b) a pointed finger making a loop from the ear to the mouth. Are both forms acceptable? Is one form considered "ASL slang" or an "ASL dialect?"

3-My husband and I are thinking of starting a family - and discussing whether to teach our children ASL (there is a chance they will have hearing loss) Would it be better to teach the ASL first, oralism first, or both? Would teaching both be too confusing?

thanks for reading!

Laurabeth
 
laurabeth said:
Hi Everyone! :wave:

I am currently attempting to learn ASL through a community college class and an online website suggested by the forum. I'm running into a few (what seems to me) very stupid questions, but I can't seem to get a straight answer from my instructor. Maybe I could ask here?

1- With fingerspelling, does it matter which hand I use, provided that the form is correct?

Most people use their dominant hand to fingerspell. Whichever hand you choose, use that hand consistently. It is distracting and improper to alternate hands except in certain instances (such as contrast between two things when each hand may sequentially spell a different word).

2-Sometimes I have encountered the same word being signed in slightly different ways - for example, I have seen the word for "deaf" signed as either a) a thumb being dragged from the ear to the mouth, or b) a pointed finger making a loop from the ear to the mouth. Are both forms acceptable? Is one form considered "ASL slang" or an "ASL dialect?"

The thumb dragged from ear to mouth means girl, not Deaf. However the index finger may go from ear to mouth or mouth to ear, and both are acceptable as meaning deaf.

3-My husband and I are thinking of starting a family - and discussing whether to teach our children ASL (there is a chance they will have hearing loss) Would it be better to teach the ASL first, oralism first, or both? Would teaching both be too confusing?

There are far more knowledgable people on this forum and I will leave this answer to them.

Good luck!

thanks for reading!

Laurabeth
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Doc
 
Just wanted to answer one of your questions. Learning ASL will NOT hinder or confuse your children, it is purely language and will be easy for the children to use since babies can learn sign and pick it up from a very early age!!!
 
The thumb dragged from ear to mouth means girl, not Deaf. However the index finger may go from ear to mouth or mouth to ear, and both are acceptable as meaning deaf.

--Thanks Doc, I guess I misunderstood the video that I was watching :) But are their different "dialects" in ASL? I do see people signing slightly different ways for the same sign. It's a little confusing. How do I know which is correct?

Laura
 
sorry, Doc,

Please ignore the last posting--- I didn't read your original answer carefully enough. Thanks for your help!

Laura
 
When you have kids, regardless of their hearing, do both. You will not confuse them. You can combine the 2 languages in your home and you children could become bilingual.
 
if you want your children to learn ASL without confusion, you will have to separate the two language (don't do sim com).. better yet, make deaf friends who know ASL and your child will talk to them in ASL
 
ASL has different "accents" and styles depending on location (I think it's becoming less "regionalized" now that the Internet and VRS etc are more predominant and more people are able to travel and move to different counties, states and provinces (Canada and the USA both use ASL)

As someone who was born with hearing loss (profound right, mild left) I honestly think that learning English and ASL at the same time is a GREAT idea and WILL NOT "harm" a child's learning and use of English (it often helps it). Children may choose to sign a word instead of say it, or say it instead of sign it ...however they will recognize BOTH and be able to use either one when they want to (a common situation is they may sign "MILK" first and if the person doesn't understand they may say "milk" (or an approximation of it).

Learning ASL along side English has all the benefits of learning ANY two languages (my baby niece is being raised to be tri-lingual or quadra-lingual (English, Spanish, French & ASL). ASL has the additional advantage of allowing babies to communicate specific concepts VERY early.

For example, my almost 6month old niece (who I only sign to once a week for a few hours) recognizes and is starting to approximate "MOM" (she smiles if I sign it),"MILK" (opens her mouth) & "SLEEPY" ... based on how she reacts to signs, I think if everyone was signing all the time she'd probably be (without prompting) signing back about 4 recognizable words by now.
 
SEE and English probably do better if you are going to talk and sign at the same time, but not ASL. Sorry, I just can't see People doing two language at the same time. That's like talking in spanish and writing English at the same time.

But I do understand signing and speaking back and forth.
 
A said:
SEE and English probably do better if you are going to talk and sign at the same time, but not ASL. Sorry, I just can't see People doing two language at the same time. That's like talking in spanish and writing English at the same time.

But I do understand signing and speaking back and forth.
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i don't think anyone's implying the 2 should be used simultaneously. It's simply not possible.

But it is VERY possible to learn 2 languages at the same time... use both interchangeably. Kids learn this way all the time simply from exposure to 2 languages and are bilingual before they are 2. No 'teaching' necessary... they just know it.
 
Looks like your questions have been answered. I only want to add that the only "stupid" question is the one that goes unasked. ;) Folks around here are more than happy to help you improve your ASL skills. We are always glad to see someone taking an interest in a beautiful language.
 
jillio said:
Looks like your questions have been answered. I only want to add that the only "stupid" question is the one that goes unasked. ;) Folks around here are more than happy to help you improve your ASL skills. We are always glad to see someone taking an interest in a beautiful language.
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Amen to that!!!
 
Thanks everyone for your answers and insight - I appreciate you guys helping me out. Believe it or not, I'm having fun learning ASL, although it definitely a lot more confusing than I first imagined. :P

:ty:

Laura
 
laurabeth said:
Thanks everyone for your answers and insight - I appreciate you guys helping me out. Believe it or not, I'm having fun learning ASL, although it definitely a lot more confusing than I first imagined. :P

:ty:

Laura
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Seven years solid practice will see you fluent.
 
laurabeth said:
3-My husband and I are thinking of starting a family - and discussing whether to teach our children ASL (there is a chance they will have hearing loss) Would it be better to teach the ASL first, oralism first, or both? Would teaching both be too confusing?
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Your children will be just fine learning both languages simultaneously. They may not even consciously make a distinction between the languages since it's all just communication to them. My hearing six-year old can switch between English and ASL without missing a beat, and my hearing two-year old does a lot of simultaneous communication (saying English words while producing the corresponding sign). My four-year old is Deaf, so he of course uses ASL exclusively.
 
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