coronamoz

I am currently taking an ASL class at a local Community College and the instructor mentioned we should get an ASL dictionary for further studies. I want to get the one with the most abundant vocaulary. I can because I plan to one day become fluent.

I've looked at Martian Sternbergs Unabridged Dictionary with around 7000 signs and Elaine Costello's with about 5600. The former got reviews saying some of the signs are inaccurate or outdated, the latter looking pretty impressive, but with less wordage.

Can you recommend these, or even perhaps some others? Thank you!

Deafness

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VamPyroX

I've never actually looked at an ASL dictionary. If "Joy of Signing" is actually an ASL dictionary, then I guess that's the only one I've read.

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Reba

"Joy of Signing" is not an ASL dictionary; it is a "signing" book.

Reba

You can also use internet resources such as:

http://commtechlab.msu.edu/sites/aslweb/browser.htm

http://www.lifeprint.com/

http://www.theinterpretersfriend.com/

The best way to stay with "current" signs is to socialize with Deaf people.

tegumi

Im not sure if this is a signing dictionary or just a book, maybe Reba can answer that, but I am extremely fond of Gabriel Graysons "Talking with your Hands, Listening with your Eyes". I love this book... the signs are easy to understand and interpret because they are actual pictures with models doing the signs, not some lousy drawings where you cant tell which direction the arrows are going, or what the handshape is, etc.

Teg.

jejones3141

X-Y dictionaries for any languages X and Y necessarily have problems, because different languages divide reality up differently. If you look up "water" in a Japanese-English dictionary, you'll see "mizu"...but Japanese has a separate word for hot water, "yu". English "run" could be "move quickly on your feet," "operate" ("Joe runs the drill press"), or "function" ("the car's not running right"), and then there's all the verb plus preposition combinations ("run up", "run down", "run over", "run across"--and is that "run down" as in "track down and find," "run down" as in "dilapidated," or "run down" as in "bad mouth"?).

So...I can't recommend a specific dictionary, but I'd say look for one that does its best to keep you from thinking there's a 1-1 mapping from English words to signs. Part of that is having entries for idioms; in English if you try to fool someone you're "pulling his leg," but in Spanish you're "taking his hair."

Daft

Best ASL dictionary I have ever found - Random House American Sign Language Dictionary.


Actually, the absolute best ASL dictionary - the old deaf lady who lives down the street. LOL!

ThatGuy

I agree, "most" of the signs are current, but I learn really fast when I use them in my signing, because it usually stops the conversation for a sec and goes like this.

Me: *sign some old sign*
Them: wait, repeat that.
Me: *Repeats the sign then fingerspell*
Them: OHHHH! That's old sign, use this *sign the current version.

And that's how I learn. Like Bathroom, that Dictionary wants you to sign Bath + Box, but instead you should use the sign for Toilet. But still worth the money, so pick it up when you have the chance, it's only 8 bucks.

darkangel8603

For me the best is Canadian ASL Book! But then I am canadian so cant say! hehe

rjr2006

Pocket ASL Dictionary