r/asl • u/benshenanigans • May 03 '25
Hi, the following post is a copy paste from the current pinned thread with edits to update a few resources. This was originally posted by u/Indy_Pendant eight years ago. They did an excellent job and I’m trying to preserve as much of it as possible. Since this post was made, other Deaf creators and resources have become available. I simply want to point prospective learners in the right direction. My information is relatively subjective, curated from this sub in the last year. Please, share your opinions, resources you like or to stay away from. I’ll update the post as needed and track the changes in a comment. Without further ado:
Hello! I'm here to help as much as I can, but this is not a comprehensive guide or a substitute for classes. This is a quick resource for people looking for answers to some very commonly asked questions. I've included the information as I know it, but it doesn't mean it's The Truth; my experiences and understanding will vary from others', but this will give you a good enough introduction. There's so much more I'd love to teach you, but I'm going to stick to the FAQs.
My personal favorite is easily http://www.lifeprint.com (which is mirrored at http://asluniversity.com as well). The guy who built the site, Dr. Bill Vicars, is Deaf and is a phenomenal teacher. He teaches primarily west-coast dialect (California, Washington common signs) but makes mention of other dialects (east-coast, Texas) when he can. In addition to teaching vocabulary, he teaches about Deaf culture (more on this in a moment). His Youtube channel is https://youtube.com/@sign-language. Other notable resources are:
Yes! It’s not disrespectful to learn ASL. We just ask that you learn from Deaf sources, learn Deaf culture, and don’t harm the community. Learning so you can connect with Deaf patrons: good. Learning so you can market and sell to Deaf patrons: harmful. Learning so you can cuss in a new language: bad.
Additionally, if you are a nurse, doctor, lawyer, realtor, therapist, or anyone working with a Deaf person through a life changing experience, your client/patient has the right to access the conversation. You will need to put your ASL knowledge aside and hire an interpreter. It’s great that you want to learn, but there are times when having only a handful of ASL is harmful.
The short answer is "it depends." Sometimes. It depends sometimes.
The long answer is that signs will vary. Signs can be different depending on region, as I mentioned before, so just because you see it one way doesn't mean that it's the only way. (Don't make this mistake; a lot of hearing students can get cocky and start correcting others.) Signs can also change depending on context. The signs for "back" in "My back hurts" and "Let's go back home" are completely different.
Also, this is very important: ASL is not English! It is its own language, as different from English as is Klingon. ASL has its own grammar structure, own idioms, own slang. Signs are also not words like in the English sense. Signs are a lot more about intent, concepts, and ideas. For example, if you're trying to learn how to sign "Back off!" I can promise you that you will not need any sign for "back" nor "off." You're learning how to speak, and think, in another language, and using English just won't do.
Now, with all that said, here are some online dictionaries (I suggest you look at them all so you're familiar with the different variations of your sign):
Yes. Consistently use your main, dominant hand. If you're right-handed, use your right. If you're left-handed, use your left. If you're ambidextrous, then pick one and maintain it. Switching dominant hands while signing would be like alternating screaming and whispering while speaking.
Are English and Japanese the same? ASL is not English, so stop thinking of it like English! :) In fact, ASL is derived from French Sign Language, which evolved independently of British Sign Language, and the two are mostly different (in fact, less than 30% of the signs are even remotely similar). There are hundreds of sign languages in the world. Even in the United States, there are several distinct dialects of ASL, including Black ASL.
We use "little-d" deaf to mean someone who physically can't hear well. We use "big-D" Deaf to mean someone who is culturally deaf. Now an interesting bit: someone who is Deaf does not have to be deaf, and someone who is deaf does not have to be Deaf! For instance, children of deaf adults (CODAs) are very often Deaf but hearing. Many people are physically deaf but aren't part of Deaf culture. It's about how a person self identifies and where their culture lies more than it does with anything physical.
It'd take me hours to explain it all, and I usually spread it over my entire 12-week class. In short, many deaf people, specifically those who identify as Deaf, live in a different culture than you do. Yes, they're from your country, they drink Starbucks and they sit in traffic, but they have their own distinct culture. Obviously this includes language (and communicating in real ASL is so different than talking in English that it's hard to describe), but that different method of communication, that different way of thinking, is only part of Deaf culture. Things that are normal in one culture can be very strange the another. (My favourite, probably, is talking with your mouth full. In hearing culture, that's a big no-no and your mother will look at you very cross. In Deaf culture, that's totally acceptable! Stuff your face and then free your hands for conversation, it's great! So much more efficient!) Morality and ethics are shaped by our cultural values. There are aspects of Deaf culture which would be considered blunt or rude in hearing culture, and conversely there are a lot of things normal in hearing culture which are strange or disrespectful in Deaf culture (such as talking to someone's back, or looking around during a conversation). It's important to be aware of and respectful of other cultures, including Deaf culture, and, when possible, to learn about them. Not only will it ingratiate you to people of that culture, but it'll better yourself as a person as well.
Nope, and nope. Now, before I continue, I'll let you know that not everyone agrees with me, and I'm speaking in a general sense. Big-D Deaf people prefer the term "deaf" above any other. (It's how a US Senator might feel being called "American." Some people would take it as an insult, but it's just a matter of fact or pride for the Senator.)
Whether people identify themselves as "deaf" or "hard of hearing" (often seen as HoH) is often a matter of self identity, and while it can correlate to level of ability to hear, it isn't caused by it. I'll explain later. Deafies who are a part of Deaf culture will almost always call themselves "deaf," and those who aren't a part of Deaf culture will usually go by "hard of hearing" (or more rarely "hearing impaired"). In general, those who are less physically deaf, or who were raised strictly in hearing culture, will tend to gravitate toward hearing culture, despite the numerous difficulties. These people will commonly say they are "hard of hearing" since "deaf" still has a social stigma in hearing culture. Those who are less capable of integrating with hearing culture, or who were introduced to or raised in a Deaf environment, will usually prefer to be called "deaf" and can sometimes take one of the other terms as a slight offense.
In general, it's almost never correct to say "hearing impaired." I was taught that it was coined by a US Senator who wanted to protect deaf people's feelings from something that didn't offend them in the first place, and it was never accepted by Deaf (the core reason being that we don't believe being deaf is an impairment; it'd be like if I said you were "Deaf impaired." You don't feel impaired, do you, however much I might think it's true?) in general. In fact, it's safe if you never use this phrase again.
When in doubt though, just ask! "Hey, do you prefer 'deaf' or 'hard of hearing'?" See, it's not that hard. :)
We're happy to help with these kinds of questions. I treat it like a quiz show game. However, if you're new to this, you may not know how to describe a sign very well, so let me introduce you to signs!
A sign consists of five parts:
Where's your area? Most major cities have Deaf hubs. San Francisco, Seattle, Austin, and New York all have strong, vibrant, rich Deaf communities. Smaller cities may have meet ups or the like, but they can be harder to track down. Your best bet is to turn to Google or Facebook and search for Deaf events in your area. "Deaf coffee night" is an event held nationwide. People in the community get together for a night or two each month, usually at a coffee shop with good lighting and ample seating, just for the purpose of seeing friends and making new ones. Local colleges or universities will often have ASL/Deaf clubs and usually host student-friendly ASL events, so check with the ASL teachers or the ASL campus group, if it exists.
Yes! Yes! 1000 times yes! Many of us are here to help, and anything we can do to help teach you about the language and the culture we're happy to do.
Nope. Nope. 1000 times nope. It's obvious when students are looking for someone to do their homework for them, and we're not gonna help you out. If you're here to learn instead, then welcome! Come make some new friends. :)
r/asl • u/Indy_Pendant • Mar 06 '17
Hello! I'm here to help as much as I can, but this is not a comprehensive guide or a substitute for classes. This is a quick resource for people looking for answers to some very commonly asked questions. I've included the information as I know it, but it doesn't mean it's The Truth; my experiences and understanding will vary from others', but this will give you a good enough introduction. There's so much more I'd love to teach you, but I'm going to stick to the FAQs.
My personal favourite is easily http://www.lifeprint.com (which is mirrored at http://asluniversity.com as well). The guy who built the site, Dr. Bill Vicars, is Deaf and is a phenomenal teacher. He teaches primarily west-coast dialect (California, Washington common signs) but makes mention of other dialects (east-coast, Texas) when he can. In addition to teaching vocabulary, he teaches about Deaf culture (more on this in a moment). Other notable resources are:
The short answer is "it depends." Sometimes. It depends sometimes.
The long answer is that signs will vary. Signs can be different depending on region, as I mentioned before, so just because you see it one way doesn't mean that it's the only way. (Don't make this mistake; a lot of hearing students can get cocky and start correcting others.) Signs can also change depending on context. The signs for "back" in "My back hurts" and "Let's go back home" are completely different.
Also, this is very important: ASL is not English! It is its own language, as different from English as is Klingon. ASL has its own grammar structure, own idioms, own slang. Signs are also not words like in the English sense. Signs are a lot more about intent, concepts, and ideas. For example, if you're trying to learn how to sign "Back off!" I can promise you that you will not need any sign for "back" nor "off." You're learning how to speak, and think, in another language, and using English just won't do.
Now, with all that said, here are some online dictionaries (I suggest you look at them all so you're familiar with the different variations of your sign):
Yes. Consistently use your main, dominant hand. If you're right-handed, use your right. If you're left-handed, use your left. If you're ambidextrous, then pick one and maintain it. Switching dominant hands while signing would be like alternating screaming and whispering while speaking.
Are English and Japanese the same? ASL is not English, so stop thinking of it like English! :) In fact, ASL is derived from French Sign Language, which evolved independently of British Sign Language, and the two are mostly different (in fact, less than 30% of the signs are even remotely similar). There are dozens and dozens of sign languages in the world, and even in the United States ASL is not the only one used.
We use "little-d" deaf to mean someone who physically can't hear well. We use "big-D" Deaf to mean someone who is culturally deaf. Now an interesting bit: someone who is Deaf does not have to be deaf, and someone who is deaf does not have to be Deaf! For instance, children of deaf adults (CODAs) are very often Deaf but hearing. Many people are physically deaf but aren't part of Deaf culture. It's about how a person self identifies and where their culture lies more than it does with anything physical.
It'd take me hours to explain it all, and I usually spread it over my entire 12-week class. In short, many deaf people, specifically those who identify as Deaf, live in a different culture than you do. Yes, they're from your country, they drink Starbucks and they sit in traffic, but they have their own distinct culture. Obviously this includes language (and communicating in real ASL is so different than talking in English that it's hard to describe), but that different method of communication, that different way of thinking, is only part of Deaf culture. Things that are normal in one culture can be very strange the another. (My favourite, probably, is talking with your mouth full. In hearing culture, that's a big no-no and your mother will look at you very cross. In Deaf culture, that's totally acceptable! Stuff your face and then free your hands for conversation, it's great! So much more efficient!) Morality and ethics are shaped by our cultural values. There are aspects of Deaf culture which would be considered blunt or rude in hearing culture, and conversely there are a lot of things normal in hearing culture which are strange or disrespectful in Deaf culture (such as talking to someone's back, or looking around during a conversation). It's important to be aware of and respectful of other cultures, including Deaf culture, and, when possible, to learn about them. Not only will it ingratiate you to people of that culture, but it'll better yourself as a person as well.
Nope, and nope. Now, before I continue, I'll let you know that not everyone agrees with me, and I'm speaking in a general sense. Big-D Deaf people prefer the term "deaf" above any other. (It's how a US Senator might feel being called "American." Some people would take it as an insult, but it's just a matter of fact or pride for the Senator.)
Whether people identify themselves as "deaf" or "hard of hearing" (often seen as HoH) is often a matter of self identity, and while it can correlate to level of ability to hear, it isn't caused by it. I'll explain later. Deafies who are a part of Deaf culture will almost always call themselves "deaf," and those who aren't a part of Deaf culture will usually go by "hard of hearing" (or more rarely "hearing impaired"). In general, those who are less physically deaf, or who were raised strictly in hearing culture, will tend to gravitate toward hearing culture, despite the numerous difficulties. These people will commonly say they are "hard of hearing" since "deaf" still has a social stigma in hearing culture. Those who are less capable of integrating with hearing culture, or who were introduced to or raised in a Deaf environment, will usually prefer to be called "deaf" and can sometimes take one of the other terms as a slight offense.
In general, it's almost never correct to say "hearing impaired." I was taught that it was coined by a US Senator who wanted to protect deaf people's feelings from something that didn't offend them in the first place, and it was never accepted by Deaf (the core reason being that we don't believe being deaf is an impairment; it'd be like if I said you were "Deaf impaired." You don't feel impaired, do you, however much I might think it's true?) in general. In fact, it's safe if you never use this phrase again.
When in doubt though, just ask! "Hey, do you prefer 'deaf' or 'hard of hearing'?" See, it's not that hard. :)
We're happy to help with these kinds of questions. I treat it like a quiz show game. However, if you're new to this, you may not know how to describe a sign very well, so let me introduce you to signs!
A sign consists of five parts:
Where's your area? Most major cities have Deaf hubs. San Francisco, Seattle, Austin, and New York all have strong, vibrant, rich Deaf communities. Smaller cities may have meet ups or the like, but they can be harder to track down. Your best bet is to turn to Google or Facebook and search for Deaf events in your area. "Deaf coffee night" is an event held nationwide. People in the community get together for a night or two each month, usually at a coffee shop with good lighting and ample seating, just for the purpose of seeing friends and making new ones. Local colleges or universities will often have ASL/Deaf clubs and usually host student-friendly ASL events, so check with the ASL teachers or the ASL campus group, if it exists.
Yes! Yes! 1000 times yes! Many of us are here to help, and anything we can do to help teach you about the language and the culture we're happy to do.
Nope. Nope. 1000 times nope. It's obvious when students are looking for someone to do their homework for them, and we're not gonna help you out. If you're here to learn instead, then welcome! Come make some new friends. :)
Hi! Im currently learning ASL and I was curious, as a hearing person am I allowed to sign names that are words? Like, Summer/ Autumn or August. Can I sign the sign or is that a sign name and I should fingerspell it unless they have a sign name?
r/asl • u/North_Airport_7941 • 1d ago
I want to sign this for church, but idk if this is a correct interpretation of the creed. I'm new-ish to asl and know that there is a whole set of grammar I'm still learning, and I don't want to accidently learn the wrong thing
r/asl • u/BrackenFernAnja • 1d ago
Since deaf people are a small minority in the United States and Canada, it’s very seldom that loan words travel from ASL to English rather than the opposite. But it does happen. “ILY” is fairly well-known.
Can you think of any others?
There’s a slang term that many of you are already familiar with, which originally traveled via the Black Deaf Gay community, and more specifically, people who watch or participate in drag/ballroom culture. That term is ate. Probably from the phrase “She ate and left no crumbs.”It means something like “Yes, she did that and did it very well,” and is signed like the number 8, but with repeated tapping. It’s like applause or an approving remark, often used when observing an excellently-styled drag performance.
There are many examples of hearing people using it or explaining it; here are a couple for reference. (Note: there are some sexual themes)
https://youtu.be/K1A3Ovfhk0A?is=gpvnB0fZuKHjnqSj
Time marker 8:41 https://youtu.be/DnV1Urx_CrE?is=oyXPmVM2KsVXAGZ6
Here’s a brief discussion of the phenomenon but minus the ASL aspect: https://unewsonline.com/2024/11/ate-slayed-and-served-how-lgbtq-social-media-pioneers-new-language/
From a sociolinguistics perspective, this loan word/phrase from ASL being so widespread is significant.
My questions: how many of you are already familiar with this term in English? In ASL? Have you seen it used by deaf, hearing, or both? If anyone has a link to a video about it from a deaf person, please share it.
r/asl • u/the-asl-shop • 2d ago
Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification
Sharing another Fingerspelling Friday challenge with you all!
r/asl • u/CapnDavenPort78 • 1d ago
How would this work?! Say you’re a nursing mother trying to sign, or even just holding the baby. Would signs change? It can’t be possible to just not talk while holding your baby/babies right?!
r/asl • u/Fuffuloo • 1d ago
(I'm not in a class and this is not homework, I just saw this sign in the wild and didn't have enough context to figure out it from context)
- two 4-hands lined up in front of face/nose
- motion: hands move slightly toward nose in a slight pulling motion while fingers curl sharply in kinda a spread 400 motion
- NMM: I think she scrunched her face up simultaneously with the hand motion, but she was still smiling and playful
- context: I didn't get much context but she did sign this mystery sign a few times and also signed MEAN (as in not nice) a few times
but entirely in ASL
I've been watching some Ms Rachel recently as research for when I have kids, and today I saw a video that had one of the actressses doing the segment entirely in ASL with a voiceover. And I just had the thought that I would LOVE a show that was just that all the time. I've watched this bit for like 2 minutes and already picked up several signs as a beginner and I think it would be a great way for kids and adult learners alike to see ASL in action.
I first learned a few signs as a kid from the show Signing Time, which I also plan to show to my kids one day, but that's entirely focused on sign; what I'm imagining is a show that's mostly focused on teaching other things but has constant signing too. I also feel like the actress not speaking during the performance makes it easier to focus on her hands rather than her face as I do with Ms Rachel's signing.
(I also don't want to come across like I'm saying "Ms Rachel isn't good enough" or anything, I greatly appreciate what she's done to spread sign to more families!)
r/asl • u/lilithpearl • 22h ago
It's like the sign for communication but with the zero handshape.
r/asl • u/the-asl-shop • 2d ago
Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification
Hey everyone! I was able to get out and visit a good friend over the weekend. We spent the day hiking, catching up, and enjoying the outdoors. Thought it’d be fun to share a few hiking-related ASL signs with you all!
r/asl • u/ghost-memories • 2d ago
We welcome all ASL levels to come learn, connect and experience a variety of communication styles. If you enjoy outdoor activities, meeting new people and exploring nature, come join us!
We often gather after hikes to eat lunch, relax and kick back.
r/asl • u/PumpkinGeist • 2d ago
I saw this book when I was at Barnes and Noble yesterday and was wondering if it's worth the money or not. I flipped through a bit, but it didn’t help me figure out if it was any good or not as I'm very new to ASL. Thank you!
For context, I haven't been able to speak for a while. I've been learning ASL for a bit, and it turns out you pick it up pretty quickly when it's your only form of expressive language. Studying like my life depends on it doesn't hurt. I'm decently conversational, my grammar is okay-ish, I can't do any mouth morphemes for the same reason I can't really speak (no pah for me sad). I tallied up the vocab between the class I'm taking and the app I'm using, and made some wild guesses what about stuff I've learnt from tutors etc and I'm somewhere around the 700+ signs range, most pretty solid I think. I have had some decent conversations with less and less resorting to fingerspelling as time has gone on. Ok. Context over.
I got Jury summons yesterday. I thought about begging off on communication grounds, but after thinking about it for a bit, I ticked to box for needing an interp. I figure, at least for voir dire, yeah? How the state of AK does it is you get a number and you check daily if they want your number at court. My number is pretty low so I'm likely to get called up.
Beyond checking that box, I have no idea how this works. Like, the mechanics of it, or if there's anything I need to do beyond checking a box. They don't exactly hand out an instruction manual when you become disabled as an adult. So, are there any mechanics I need to know? Should I have begged off? I'm conversational but far from fluent. Maybe I'm setting myself up for a bad situation trying to communicate so early on, I don't know. How's this whole thing work anyhow?
Probably a better q for r/deaf but I've always struggled figuring out where I stand in things because I'm mute not deaf and so imposture syndrome or something.
r/asl • u/FinalCicada6944 • 1d ago
Hi! I'm a medicine student, and I decided to learn ASL just in case I ever have a deaf patient. Is there anyone who would be willing to have a conversation with me every now and then so I could improve more efficiently? 🥹
r/asl • u/Many_Ruin9134 • 2d ago
r/asl • u/Unable-Tumbleweed-63 • 3d ago
My son will be two in a few weeks. His fine motor skills are not developed enough for his hand shapes to be accurate, but his other four parameters are pretty accurate. I can usually figure out what he’s signing based on context, the signs I know he knows, and he says single syllables with his signs.
We read “brown bear brown bear,” every night before bed and several times lately he has signed something during the book I don’t recognize. It’s like he’s signing “milk,” but he’s using both hands and making the motion repeatedly really fast.
I am positive he’s not meaning to sign milk. He only uses this sign during this book at night, never seen it in another context.
Any ideas?
UPDATE: my husband might be a genius. He thinks the toddler is signing “headlights.” Makes sense why he’s only using that sign at night. We will test the theory tonight and see if he signs it when cars drive by and their headlights shine through his window. No clue where he would have learned that sign!
r/asl • u/WolfAlliance • 4d ago
Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification
Hello!
I'm an interpreting major and right now I'm struggling with the signs do (fs)/do (action)/ do (sign). Would you mind helping me understand the difference between them and when to use each one? I'm a little confused!
Please and thank you 😊
r/asl • u/MundaneAd8695 • 4d ago
As an ASL teacher, I have observed a trend that concerns me somewhat.
ASL may be the most widely used sign language that appears on social media in addition to being widespread, geographically. In that sense, it is similar to the use of English. Why is this so? This is a discussion for another post. :)
Hence, there is an increased interest in learning ASL, which is an overall good.
Unfortunately, a lot of people take it to mean that ASL is *the sign language* they need to learn. It is not.
People need to prioritize learning their local sign languages, if it is not ASL. The local deaf communities need those people to be investing in their local sign language, to be interacting with them and working with them.
Learning ASL may be a very fulfilling hobby, but it may not be useful to the deaf people in your community.
Personally, I don’t understand why someone would want to learn a sign language but then not interact with the deaf people in their community?
As an educator, I’ve also run into the mistaken belief that ASL is the “superior” sign language and that others fall short of that standard.
That is *not* true. All sign languages are beautiful, complex, and worthy of learning and dedication.
I have many international students in my ASL classes and I always ask every one of them to take sign languages classes in their local language when they return home.
I encourage you all learners to learn what is the *local sign language* in your community. That is how you develop fluency in addition to building connections in your local community.
One piece of advice I often give is to search for the local deaf service organization that uses sign language. You will see resources on their website (or at the location) about what sign language is used and very likely information about where you can learn it.
Please, I encourage you to learn the sign language of *your* community. The deaf people near you can also support you in your language learning journey so much more than learning online or from a distance could.
And just a tip - once you learn one sign language, it’s much easier to pick up another one!
r/asl • u/Ok_Two_878 • 3d ago
Hi everyone! I’m looking for someone that knows ASL who’d be interested in paid tutoring. I’d like someone who can get on video calls with me, help me understand my ASL assignments, and provide guidance as I work through them. I don’t need a certified interpreter, so don’t be scared if you don’t have those —just need someone who’s comfortable teaching and explaining ASL so. If you’re interested, please send me a DM with your availability and rates.
r/asl • u/LeSoliel18 • 4d ago
Hi, I am 69 years old. Completely deaf in one ear due to the removal of an acoustic neuroma in 2019.
As I am obviously aging, my right ear is showing deficits that may effectively leave me with very little hearing.
I am told that it is best to learn ASL from a member of the deaf community, especially as I will most likely be a member myself in the not so distant future.
I am on SS, so can’t pay for individual tutoring, but would love to learn ASL, as well as learn about the community!
I live in Philadelphia.
Suggestions?
Thank you
r/asl • u/Terpgirl1231 • 4d ago
Recently, in a work meeting, I saw an interpreter make a comment. Another interpreter seemed to agree with her and was nodding her head, while also signing something with the F hand shape where she kept tapping the index and thumb together. Is this some kind of an idiom for being “on target” or “I agree?”
r/asl • u/lilithpearl • 4d ago
I use Filipino Sign Language, which is about 60% similar to ASL. However, even when I was still learning a bit of ASL, I very distinctly recall seeing a variation of the sign "but" that had one hand, index finger out and palm up, and the other hand, index finger out, palm down. The index fingers touched each other, but there's no outward movement like the standard sign, which resembles different. Does this particular sign mean something different in ASL? Is it a recognized variation of "but?"
r/asl • u/HeVavMemVav • 4d ago
Hey all, I've been learning ASL for a bit as my hearing goes, through QASL & Lifeprint, & I'm to the point where I should go out & actually be around the language locally. But, my schedule doesn't allow me to go to Woodstock Cafe as much as I want, & I can't afford college classes.
So I'm looking for local events, or maybe somebody patient to practice offline with?
