Sign Language

[BelleSnowyOwl]

Does anyone here know how to sign?

I would love to learn sign language. I've taught myself the ASL alphabet and the BSL alphabet ('cause you just never know who you'll meet!) But I definitely want to take an ASL course, just to learn the basics.

If you're not sure, ALS is American Sign Language, and BLS is British Sign Language. There are many, many types of sign language for different parts of the world.

[MudBloodSare]

I remember learning Australian sign language in primary school and thinking it was quite easy, but I've completely forgotten it now, which is a shame! I'd love to learn again.

[BelleSnowyOwl]

I wish I'd learned sign language in school here! That would be fun.

[Serpentine]

Hmm, nice new thread!

Don´t have much time to post now, but here are a few useful resources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sign_language

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Sign_Language (including links to lessons)

Greetings,
Serpentine (grown up with German Sign Language )

[gipro2003]

I learned the ASL alphabet and a few other simple words, because as you said, you never know when it could come in handy. It would be interesting to learn more.

[Marina]

I only know the NZSL (New Zealand Sign Language--which is fairly similar, I believe, to the BSL) alphabet, and even them I'm really slow. Even for a simple name like "Anna". I seem to prefer oral languages to hand languages, and my hands know it.

And by the way, random, but related, trivia: NZSL is considered the third language of New Zealand. We're probably the only country like this, correct?

OT: gipro, I want to eat your avatar every time I see it.

[LikeLuna]

I know the ASL alphabet and I can sign "Come under my umbrella". (You never know, right? Could come in useful someday...) I would probably have taken ASL at school as a class if my school offered it. I'd love to learn at some point.

[EmmyRocks]

I really would love to know how to sign!! My mom does, so I know some: Baby, rain, fire, fish, etc.

[Vita]

My mother is a social worker and for her job she had to learn sign language about 20 or so years ago. I remember her studying and she taught me a few things like mother, father, baby, young, old and the alphabet. I often wonder if people who use sign language regularly have 'slang' or fad words or signs I guess like spoken language does. Just something Im curious about

[canismajoris]

I don't have a great deal to say about sign language in general, but...

Today I spent about ten minutes trying to explain to someone that people who use ASL and speak/read/write English are bilingual.

Originally Posted by Vita

My mother is a social worker and for her job she had to learn sign language about 20 or so years ago. I remember her studying and she taught me a few things like mother, father, baby, young, old and the alphabet. I often wonder if people who use sign language regularly have 'slang' or fad words or signs I guess like spoken language does. Just something Im curious about

I would also like to add that sign languages are every bit as robust as spoken ones, with their own inflections and idiomatic expressions. But the study of sign language is in the dark ages compared to the study of written and spoken languages, so it's hard to say exactly how trends like you mentioned develop and change over time.

[Lord Godric]

Originally Posted by canismajoris

I don't have a great deal to say about sign language in general, but...

Today I spent about ten minutes trying to explain to someone that people who use ASL and speak/read/write English are bilingual.

This was one idea that I had trouble understanding before I started my ASL class. Deaf people who use ASL definitely know that English is not the same, they use different grammar, words, meanings etc. English is usually their second language (or ASL is depending on their personal past). It's a very intersting aspect of ASL actually.

[Amivera]

I took an ASL course for two years, which has actually helped me out a few times at work and (surprisingly for me), I've run into more deaf people in the last two years than I had in a lifetime, perhaps because I'm more sensitive to them now?

Anyways, it's always such a great feeling to stop and hold a conversation with someone in ASL. It makes you feel connected in a strange sort of way.

The problem with my class was that it was taught by someone who had taken ASL 30 + years earlier and a lot of changes have been made, especially in what signs represent countries.

[wizard_master]

Is it dificult to learn BSL?

I would like to learn as it will be useful for my career choice and with work at the minute.

[Mad_Druid]

I know some very basic Sign Lanaguage as my Primary School had quite a few kids with disabilities, but I'm interested in learning more. I'm thinking of taking a short course in Auslan.

[MC2456]

I would love to learn sign language. I remembered, when I was a kid, being in a train and seeing someone using sign language. I was like, I want to learn that too! It seemed so cool to me at that time.

When I see the words ASL, I would always remember one story I read in Chicken Soup for the Animal's Soul. If you have heard the story, bear with me. And please, do correct me if I'm wrong, because it has been very long since I read it. It's about a female gorilla who was taught ASL.

Her name was Coco, and her mom died when she was a baby. A zoo adopted her, and she was taught ASL from young. Coco was able to sign fluently in ASL as the years passed. She was a very mischevous gorilla, much like a toddler. Once, when she was chewing a red crayon and was caught at it, she signed "Lip" (lipstick) to her carer. Coco had a pet cat which died, and she could sign her loss. They even got her a playmate named Mike, and they squabbled like little children-in ASL! However, when she was asked which animal she was, she'd always sign "Fine Animal Gorilla". It was all very adorable.

[BubblyShell22]

Yes, Coco is very famous for learning ASL.

I learned ASL in college because I took it as an elective. I don't remember much now, but I'm sure it'd come back to me if I had to use it. I did learn that writing on a pad of paper is also an acceptable way to communicate.

[featherfish81]

Can someone who signs do me a favor? Two characters on NCIS:LA have a brief conversation in ASL, and I would like someone to interpret it for me. I caught a few words, but I'm sure I missed a lot. Below is the link to the video, and it's at about the 42 minute mark.

http://www.cbs.com/primetime/ncis_lo...ull%20Episodes

Thanks.

[evaparker23]

I happen to be very lucky because I'm still in high school and my school offers an ASL (American Sign Language) course. I only started taking it this year but I am absolutely in love. The language and the culture are both so beautiful and unique, and I have a knack for it; I'm actually thinking about studying it in college and possibly teaching it/becoming an interpretor.

[Fawkesfan1]

I only know how to do the alphabet in Sign Language. Forgot parts of it though, since I haven't had the chance to practice it for awhile.

Would love to learn more though, since ASL seems like an interesting language to learn.

[ignisia]

I'm taking ASL over the summer. It'll be interesting to see how well I do with a language that requires more visual learning styles than auditory.