Grammar

skygazer1230

skygazer1230

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Hello!:wave:
Ok, so since I am trying to self teach myself I'm finding it hard to think in asl. What is the basic pattern most sentences follow? Oh, and another question: does repeating a sign twice make it a verb?
 
:wave: Hey There!

Okay, first off always remember something basic. [Topic First, Comment Second] When signing, you always say what you are talking about first and then what you want to say about it. So if you wanted to say, "The cat is brown." you would sign "Cat (index to cat) brown."

Now more specifically, there are multiple ways you can sign something. It's just like English where you can say the same thing but in different word orders. I believe the most common form is Subject-Object-Verb. Again, this can be doen in many different ways as long as the main Subject or Object that you are talking about is first and then what you want to say about it. There are certain things like when talking in a formal sense or when just chatting with a friend but I really don't know all the rules to that. Hopefully someone else could shed some light on all that. Though, I rarely notice anyone changing the way they speak when it's in a formal setting so maybe it's just mainly used for interpreters. (Correct me if I'm wrong, please.)

As far as repeating a sign to make it a verb. I have heard of this many times and I myself do this. I have run into a lot of Deaf people who have never heard of this though. So I'm not sure if this is something fairly new or it's just not common. But yes, it is. If you sign chair once it means chair but if you sign it twice it means sit. It also works (from what I've seen and do) if you want to sign study, to sign it once it means study but to sign it twice means studying so it makes the sign into present tense. (I hope that makes sense.)

Good luck! And again, if I'm wrong PLEASE correct me! I'm not great at the grammar side of things. I just sign without thinking much so I never really thought about it.
 
Thank you for the help. I want to take formal classes, but my college doesn't have it and I've still got to somehow get through Spanish III. It's hard when I don't have the passion to learn it like I do ASL.
 
Hello, I think so might to many time hope be professional education good English school attending, I think so good idea might to question to communication! I am not aware it how on verb complication!
 
WiredUnique said:
:wave: Hey There!

Okay, first off always remember something basic. [Topic First, Comment Second] When signing, you always say what you are talking about first and then what you want to say about it. So if you wanted to say, "The cat is brown." you would sign "Cat (index to cat) brown."

Now more specifically, there are multiple ways you can sign something. It's just like English where you can say the same thing but in different word orders. I believe the most common form is Subject-Object-Verb. Again, this can be doen in many different ways as long as the main Subject or Object that you are talking about is first and then what you want to say about it. There are certain things like when talking in a formal sense or when just chatting with a friend but I really don't know all the rules to that. Hopefully someone else could shed some light on all that. Though, I rarely notice anyone changing the way they speak when it's in a formal setting so maybe it's just mainly used for interpreters. (Correct me if I'm wrong, please.)

As far as repeating a sign to make it a verb. I have heard of this many times and I myself do this. I have run into a lot of Deaf people who have never heard of this though. So I'm not sure if this is something fairly new or it's just not common. But yes, it is. If you sign chair once it means chair but if you sign it twice it means sit. It also works (from what I've seen and do) if you want to sign study, to sign it once it means study but to sign it twice means studying so it makes the sign into present tense. (I hope that makes sense.)

Good luck! And again, if I'm wrong PLEASE correct me! I'm not great at the grammar side of things. I just sign without thinking much so I never really thought about it.
Click to expand...

On lifeprint, sit is one movement, chair is two.
 
Thanks for the other informaron though. Very helpful. Subject, then comment. Question, if im asking someone about themselves wouldnt they always be the topic? Ex. When are you going to put garbage out? Would it be, garbage or you?
 
KStiletto said:
Thanks for the other informaron though. Very helpful. Subject, then comment. Question, if im asking someone about themselves wouldnt they always be the topic? Ex. When are you going to put garbage out? Would it be, garbage or you?
Click to expand...

Garbage, out when?? Then hit them. As if you had to ask it was too late! :wave:
 
When I look at a sentence, I try to find what is the word that is the main point or idea and then take that out and "illustrate" it with the rest. When I do this, as is often the case, I think in pictures and see them moving in my head. Or signs, if I know them.
 
dogmom said:
When I look at a sentence, I try to find what is the word that is the main point or idea and then take that out and "illustrate" it with the rest. When I do this, as is often the case, I think in pictures and see them moving in my head. Or signs, if I know them.
Click to expand...
Can you give an example? Being me Im imagining words with wings flying around.
 
As long as you have a noun and verb you will be fine :)
 
Normally, with signs that have noun/verb forms, the noun form is signed with two repeated movements, and the verb form is signed with one movement. Also, the verb form is inflected, sometimes for direction, sometimes for duration.

CHAIR=two repeated movements
SIT=one movement
SITTING-for-long-time=one continuous circular movement

FOOD=two repeated movements
EAT=one movement
EATING-continuously=two-handed movement, continuous alternating circles
 
Reba said:
Normally, with signs that have noun/verb forms, the noun form is signed with two repeated movements, and the verb form is signed with one movement. Also, the verb form is inflected, sometimes for direction, sometimes for duration.

CHAIR=two repeated movements
SIT=one movement
SITTING-for-long-time=one continuous circular movement

FOOD=two repeated movements
EAT=one movement
EATING-continuously=two-handed movement, continuous alternating circles
Click to expand...

Dang. I was signing them correctly all along and that makes me feel absurdly good. :giggle:
 
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