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Jacobcona

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Hello I am HOH and currently learning ASL and I have a question. I was born missing most of my left hand, how much will this hinder my ability to be understood?
 
I had a friend who had one hand/arm that he couldn't use. He was able to use his other hand for everything else. You might be able to sign some words, but majority of it will have to be spelled out.
 
Jacobcona said:
Hello I am HOH and currently learning ASL and I have a question. I was born missing most of my left hand, how much will this hinder my ability to be understood?
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It won't much. A lot of signs can be formed with the one good hand, and people will get to know your style as they know you.

Anything you can't figure out how to form, can be spelled.
 
I don't think it would be necessary to spell more than usual. For most signs the non-dominant hand/arm is used as just a base or reference point for the dominant hand, or not at all. There are some signs that are two-handed "mirror-image" movements but most fluent signers can understand non-standard formations without much trouble. Think how many times people sign one-handed anyway--driving, eating, arm in a cast, holding a baby, carrying stuff, etc.

Certainly friends would get used to each others' signing styles. Even if part of a sign is "missing" the brain fills in the gaps, just like with reading fingerspelling.
 
Jacobcona said:
Hello I am HOH and currently learning ASL and I have a question. I was born missing most of my left hand, how much will this hinder my ability to be understood?
Click to expand...
With other Deaf or fluent ASL users, virtually none. You may do a bit more fingerspelling. But the dominant hand just supported by the general positron of the other hand/arm makes the meaning clear.
Those not fluent well probably struggle some
 
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