ASL Dictionary

elitheeli · 11-16-2008, 05:44 PM

Hey, this is my first post. I'm hearing and I'm learning ASL in college. I come from a city with a very high density of Deaf people.

I've noticed that there are just a few American Sign Language dictionaries online. Notably, ASLPro, LifePrint, and something from Michigan State University.

Have there been attempts to create an updated Web2.0 ASL video dictionary? All the aforementioned sites are quite primitive and difficult to use. They are rarely updated and don't have many features.

If I were to try to assemble a team to create a new site, do you think there would be significant interest? I'm a computer science major and have significant web development experience. I think that it'd require another two or three programmers and then a score of people with video cameras and a lot of free time to record thousands of words.

Thoughts?

hjh13 · 11-17-2008, 05:57 PM

Check out the tools at CATS (CATS). We have a dictionary called MySignBookLink that is easy to use. If you are interested, we are trying to continue development. There are approximately 27,000 words. Technically it is just html based, nothing fancy needed.
Also, our lab at GT is looking for cs majors interested in sign. Our group also focuses on cell phones. If you are looking for a masters or doctorate there may be a fit.
Harley Hamilton hhamilton@gatech.edu

elitheeli · 11-17-2008, 07:01 PM

Harley, I send you an email.

I'd still appreciate others' responses. The more feedback I get, the better.

shastagrimes · 01-10-2009, 07:14 PM

I would LOVE to see another sign language dictionary. I have a website for sign language videos but do not have the funds to create a dictionary at this time....I have applied for a grant but won't know until April if I got it. If I do I will let you know so we can work towards this. I think there is a great need to explain signs or show the different signs and tell why there are different signs instead of just looking up a word and seeing a sign. My students are really bad at using a sign the wrong way because of this.

I'll stay in touch and keep checking back here too to see if there is anything else that is posted.

Thanks,
Shasta

smithtr · 01-10-2009, 11:26 PM

i want to research find more amereican sign language.

Shadow · 01-10-2009, 11:29 PM

The CATS site in post 2 is good.

elitheeli · 01-11-2009, 02:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shastagrimes

I would LOVE to see another sign language dictionary. I have a website for sign language videos but do not have the funds to create a dictionary at this time....

Have you investigated the cost of creating a new dictionary? If I had to estimate, I'd guess about $3000 initially, plus a few hundred dollars a month for enough bandwidth to make it snappy, plus whatever it takes to record enough signs.

Do you know approximately how many signs there are? I know that there are around one million words in English, including scientific terms. I assume there are fewer than ten thousand signs, though.

Thanks,
Eli

imdeafsowhat · 01-12-2009, 02:49 PM

There has been many attempts to create an ASL dictionary, but most is in process of completeing or some didn't complete cause 10k of signs was too much and they only had 500 mb or something.

Are you saying that you'd like to create a book? OR a site?

I'm a bit confused. If it's site, I could give you some ideas if I heard some from you. Anyways, good luck.

Michigan, eh? Didn't know they had high population of deaf people.

elitheeli · 01-12-2009, 04:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by imdeafsowhat

There has been many attempts to create an ASL dictionary, but most is in process of completeing or some didn't complete cause 10k of signs was too much and they only had 500 mb or something.

Are you saying that you'd like to create a book? OR a site?

I'm a bit confused. If it's site, I could give you some ideas if I heard some from you. Anyways, good luck.

It's a site. I'm a web developer. I'm trying to get a cost estimate so that I can put together a business plan and seek funding.

imdeafsowhat · 01-12-2009, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elitheeli

It's a site. I'm a web developer. I'm trying to get a cost estimate so that I can put together a business plan and seek funding.

I see. I could help you out, just drop me a PM whenever.

Well, I think you can do it on your own.

It's not that pricey if you can think of alteratives. That'd what I'd do.

Good Luck.

shastagrimes · 01-24-2009, 08:46 PM

I'd be more than happy to let whoever wanted to work on this to use my site to host the video to save on paying for it. I'm already paying almost $200 a month for a dedicated server and I'm not sure how much I hold but it better be a lot for that much! I don't know much about how it's set up but if you'll PM me I can give you the info.

Also, there are sign langauge dictionaries out there but I think it would be great to explain when a certain sign should be used if there are several meanings for it. That is the biggest issue with having my students use online dictionaries....they find a word and sign it in the wrong context.

Hope we can make the work.

elitheeli · 01-26-2009, 10:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shastagrimes

I'd be more than happy to let whoever wanted to work on this to use my site to host the video to save on paying for it. I'm already paying almost $200 a month for a dedicated server and I'm not sure how much I hold but it better be a lot for that much! I don't know much about how it's set up but if you'll PM me I can give you the info.

The problem is that to stream video, you really need to use a Content Distribution Network. No matter how much you pay for your servers, it'll always be faster, more reliable, and cheaper to use CDNs.

Also, the funding for the hosting is the smallest concern at this point. The initial costs are extremely high.

jaxter · 06-16-2009, 07:41 PM

Hi if you do this project, could you please put it in a two-way format? I love this book: The American Sign Language Handshape Dictionary
because when I see a sign I don't recognize, I can look in that dictionary for the handshape and find the meaning of the sign. It also has an English index if you know the English word and want to find the sign. That dictionary has been the most helpful tool for me learning ASL, but it needs more content. Many times I see a sign and look for it in that dictionary but it's not in there. I'd like to see a living community dictionary that many people can continuously contribute content...because obviously the language changes over time and from region to region.

11-16-2008, 05:44 PM	#1 (permalink)
elitheeli Registered User Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 5	ASL Dictionary Hey, this is my first post. I'm hearing and I'm learning ASL in college. I come from a city with a very high density of Deaf people. I've noticed that there are just a few American Sign Language dictionaries online. Notably, ASLPro, LifePrint, and something from Michigan State University. Have there been attempts to create an updated Web2.0 ASL video dictionary? All the aforementioned sites are quite primitive and difficult to use. They are rarely updated and don't have many features. If I were to try to assemble a team to create a new site, do you think there would be significant interest? I'm a computer science major and have significant web development experience. I think that it'd require another two or three programmers and then a score of people with video cameras and a lot of free time to record thousands of words. Thoughts?

11-17-2008, 05:57 PM	#2 (permalink)
hjh13 Registered User Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 1	MySignLink Check out the tools at CATS (CATS). We have a dictionary called MySignBookLink that is easy to use. If you are interested, we are trying to continue development. There are approximately 27,000 words. Technically it is just html based, nothing fancy needed. Also, our lab at GT is looking for cs majors interested in sign. Our group also focuses on cell phones. If you are looking for a masters or doctorate there may be a fit. Harley Hamilton hhamilton@gatech.edu

01-10-2009, 11:29 PM	#6 (permalink)
Shadow अदृश्य Join Date: May 2008 Location: बाहर धूप की Posts: 360	The CATS site in post 2 is good. __________________

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11-17-2008, 07:01 PM	#3 (permalink)
elitheeli Registered User Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 5	Harley, I send you an email. I'd still appreciate others' responses. The more feedback I get, the better.

01-10-2009, 07:14 PM	#4 (permalink)
shastagrimes www.signlanguagetube.com Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Fl Posts: 9	I would LOVE to see another sign language dictionary. I have a website for sign language videos but do not have the funds to create a dictionary at this time....I have applied for a grant but won't know until April if I got it. If I do I will let you know so we can work towards this. I think there is a great need to explain signs or show the different signs and tell why there are different signs instead of just looking up a word and seeing a sign. My students are really bad at using a sign the wrong way because of this. I'll stay in touch and keep checking back here too to see if there is anything else that is posted. Thanks, Shasta

01-10-2009, 11:26 PM	#5 (permalink)
smithtr Registered User Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Saskatoon Posts: 1,472 Blog Entries: 4	i want to research find more amereican sign language.

01-12-2009, 02:49 PM	#8 (permalink)
imdeafsowhat Banned Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: The Golden Coast Posts: 1,983	There has been many attempts to create an ASL dictionary, but most is in process of completeing or some didn't complete cause 10k of signs was too much and they only had 500 mb or something. Are you saying that you'd like to create a book? OR a site? I'm a bit confused. If it's site, I could give you some ideas if I heard some from you. Anyways, good luck. Michigan, eh? Didn't know they had high population of deaf people.

01-24-2009, 08:46 PM	#11 (permalink)
shastagrimes www.signlanguagetube.com Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Fl Posts: 9	I'd be more than happy to let whoever wanted to work on this to use my site to host the video to save on paying for it. I'm already paying almost $200 a month for a dedicated server and I'm not sure how much I hold but it better be a lot for that much! I don't know much about how it's set up but if you'll PM me I can give you the info. Also, there are sign langauge dictionaries out there but I think it would be great to explain when a certain sign should be used if there are several meanings for it. That is the biggest issue with having my students use online dictionaries....they find a word and sign it in the wrong context. Hope we can make the work.

06-16-2009, 07:41 PM	#13 (permalink)
jaxter Registered User Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Michigan Posts: 1	Hi if you do this project, could you please put it in a two-way format? I love this book: The American Sign Language Handshape Dictionary because when I see a sign I don't recognize, I can look in that dictionary for the handshape and find the meaning of the sign. It also has an English index if you know the English word and want to find the sign. That dictionary has been the most helpful tool for me learning ASL, but it needs more content. Many times I see a sign and look for it in that dictionary but it's not in there. I'd like to see a living community dictionary that many people can continuously contribute content...because obviously the language changes over time and from region to region.