question about ASL grammer

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mrdel

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I am hearing but my son is deaf. His first language is ASL and mine english. I know very little ASL and always hope I singed what I do know in the correct grammer. I was told the grammer differs from English.

I do not know if this is true. Something like this: (English) I want a burger (ASL) burger me or buger I want. Something like that. Am I correct about the grammer difference? IF so I need to find a web site That gives video ASL and tells me what Words I am signing so I can get a feel for the grammer. Something that might allow me to type a phrase in english then translate it to sign and show the word I am signing to see the conversion. Is one thing to know the signs but another to know how to put them togeather properly.

I am trying to break the communication barrier between my son and I. I dont have the money to go to a class so I hope there is something on the net. I hope you understnd what I am talking about. I just need badly to be able to talk with my son. He is 10 now and I need to stop procrastinating.

Thank you

-Del
 
You don't necessarily have to change the sentence structure just so your son understands you. Just knowing sign language makes all the difference. The grammatical structure is different, but isn't key to understanding each other. Having said that, if you can't go to classes but want to learn ASL, you could learn online at sites such as ASLPro.com Home.
 
The structure doesn't really matter, as long as the sign language used is correct. For instance, this is English... "I am going to go shopping for some food. Want to come?" and this could be ASL... "Me Go Shop Food. Come?" As long as you can sign those 5 words correctly, I'm sure he'll understand.
 
Most deaf people are used to seeing sign language in English structure. I'm willing to bet that if you signed your words in an English-based structure, he will understand you. :) I'm thrilled that you are willing to do what it takes to make sure he understands what you're saying.
 
deafbajagal said:
Most deaf people are used to seeing sign language in English structure. I'm willing to bet that if you signed your words in an English-based structure, he will understand you. :) I'm thrilled that you are willing to do what it takes to make sure he understands what you're saying.
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I agreed
 
deafbajagal said:
Most deaf people are used to seeing sign language in English structure. I'm willing to bet that if you signed your words in an English-based structure, he will understand you. :) I'm thrilled that you are willing to do what it takes to make sure he understands what you're saying.
Click to expand...

Agreed. Just as long as the context is kept consistent. For instance, you would not want to sign, literally (YOUR NOSE IS RUNNING), and use the context for running a race! Poor kid will be looking for a nose running across the floor!:giggle:
 
LOL at Jillo! That's right. You want to keep it conceptually accurate.

One time I was volunteering in the dorm at a deaf school. The kids were standing by the TV. I asked them what they were doing. One kid replied, "It said to 'stand by.' " I laughed and laughed!
 
mrdel said:
I am hearing but my son is deaf. His first language is ASL and mine english. I know very little ASL and always hope I singed what I do know in the correct grammer. I was told the grammer differs from English.

I do not know if this is true. Something like this: (English) I want a burger (ASL) burger me or buger I want. Something like that. Am I correct about the grammer difference? IF so I need to find a web site That gives video ASL and tells me what Words I am signing so I can get a feel for the grammer. Something that might allow me to type a phrase in english then translate it to sign and show the word I am signing to see the conversion. Is one thing to know the signs but another to know how to put them togeather properly.

I am trying to break the communication barrier between my son and I. I dont have the money to go to a class so I hope there is something on the net. I hope you understnd what I am talking about. I just need badly to be able to talk with my son. He is 10 now and I need to stop procrastinating.

Thank you

-Del
Click to expand...

about your grammar question...

if you truly want to deal with this, remember this point: the signs of asl are conceptual and are put together in the same way that, for example, we think about what to do with something:
if i want to pick up a paper, i touch the paper and pick it up. so in asl, it's PAPER PICK-UP.

...

but in general, like the other replies, you can sign in english word order and he will understand.

:wave:
 
jillio said:
Agreed. Just as long as the context is kept consistent. For instance, you would not want to sign, literally (YOUR NOSE IS RUNNING), and use the context for running a race! Poor kid will be looking for a nose running across the floor!:giggle:
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OMG, how funny is that?:laugh2:
 
society's_child said:
OMG, how funny is that?:laugh2:
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Glad you liked that one. I think it illustrates the difference between visual understanding and auditory understanding of the same concept. That has to be taken into account when using ASL.

I have always tried to explain it by saying that ASL is the same as painting a picture. Suppose you want to say "The boy is climbing the tree." Imagine you have a big blank canvas in front of you, and you are going to paint a picture. What is the first thing that you would paint on the canvas? The tree. Next, you would paint a boy climbing that tree. So you would sign, "TREE BOY CLIMB." using placement to indicate the tree and the boy, and a classifier to show that he is climbing the tree.
 
jillio said:
Glad you liked that one. I think it illustrates the difference between visual understanding and auditory understanding of the same concept. That has to be taken into account when using ASL.

I have always tried to explain it by saying that ASL is the same as painting a picture. Suppose you want to say "The boy is climbing the tree." Imagine you have a big blank canvas in front of you, and you are going to paint a picture. What is the first thing that you would paint on the canvas? The tree. Next, you would paint a boy climbing that tree. So you would sign, "TREE BOY CLIMB." using placement to indicate the tree and the boy, and a classifier to show that he is climbing the tree.
Click to expand...

I agree with this. Its great you are working on communicating. There is a cd rom program on ASL that is good. I bought it at a borders bookstore for my room mate. To tell a good story on literal thinking the first time he signed I was pulling his leg on something I said ' no way I am on the other side of the room' he laughed at me for days.
 
jillio said:
Glad you liked that one. I think it illustrates the difference between visual understanding and auditory understanding of the same concept. That has to be taken into account when using ASL.
Click to expand...

How very true. Another example: signing Bette Midler's "Wind beneath my wings". Wouldn't literally sign "You are the wind beneath my wings" because probably wouldn't translate correctly. Deaf person might think: "I'm the wind? That doesn't make sense... "YOUR wings??....okay..??"

I don't know how it would be signed to properly communicate what's truly being siad... maybe something along the lines "you are my support and you inspire me to excel..." ?
 
society's_child said:
How very true. Another example: signing Bette Midler's "Wind beneath my wings". Wouldn't literally sign "You are the wind beneath my wings" because probably wouldn't translate correctly. Deaf person might think: "I'm the wind? That doesn't make sense... "YOUR wings??....okay..??"

I don't know how it would be signed to properly communicate what's truly being siad... maybe something along the lines "you are my support and you inspire me to excel..." ?
Click to expand...

That would be conceptually correct.
 
NickCameron1031 said:
I agree with this. Its great you are working on communicating. There is a cd rom program on ASL that is good. I bought it at a borders bookstore for my room mate. To tell a good story on literal thinking the first time he signed I was pulling his leg on something I said ' no way I am on the other side of the room' he laughed at me for days.
Click to expand...

:ty:
 
jillio said:
Agreed. Just as long as the context is kept consistent. For instance, you would not want to sign, literally (YOUR NOSE IS RUNNING), and use the context for running a race! Poor kid will be looking for a nose running across the floor!:giggle:
Click to expand...

deafbajagal said:
One time I was volunteering in the dorm at a deaf school. The kids were standing by the TV. I asked them what they were doing. One kid replied, "It said to 'stand by.' " I laughed and laughed!
Click to expand...

:rofl: ... Yes, some or most deafies take words literally! :lol:

(Possibly not quite on the subject but near enough) - When I was in my teens, my father came home excited, saying something about buying 112 chairs and I was puzzled, so I said, "How can we fit 112 chairs in the house?". The whole family laughed and said, "shares as in the stock-market". :lol:
 
Thanks for all your inout. It s makeing more sence now. I remember things better when spoken medaforicly. So the comments about the paper and the tree are very helpfull for my type of understanding.

Sorry for the misspells. Keep it comming. I am still looking for a place. Books and videos may help a great deal but you realy need a human to make sure you are doing it correct.

-Del
 
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