GLOSS NOTESAmerican SignLanguage

GrammarNouns and adjectives are reversed

EX: red ball (English) BALL RED (ASL)

WH Questions are included at the end of the question or choice

EX: Where is the red ball? (English) BALL RED WHERE (ASL)

Tense and topics are indicated at the beginning of the question or statement.

EX: My favorite show is Numbers (English)NUMBERS SHOW FAVORITE MY (ASL)

I lost the red ball last week. (English)LAST-WEEK BALL RED I LOSE (ASL)

General Grammar Rule for TimeIn general the ASL shows the tense at the BEGINNING of the thought or story and that tense remains until changed. PastPresentFuture

PASTThe sign moves BACKWARDS

EX: Maria went to the store to buy some bread

PAST fs-MARIA GO STORE BUY BREAD.

PRESENTThe sign remains on the FRONT of the body of the signer.

EX: I have to go to the doctor at 3:00.

NOW 3 ME HAVE-TO GO DOCTOR.

FUTUREThe sign moves FORWARD

EX: In two weeks my family is coming to visit.

FUTURE TWO-WEEKS FAMILY MY COME VISIT.

Months of the YearFingerspell the abbreviations of the monthUse FIRST and LAST letter of the abbreviation with the sign CALENDAR (Except May, June, July).

JanuaryFebruaryMarchAprilMayJuneJulyAugustSeptemberOctober NovemberDecemberJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNEJULYAUGSEPTOCTNOVDEC

NumbersNumbers 1 5Keep palms facing insideNumbers 6 9Palm faces outThumb on pinkie for 6Thumb on ring for 7Thumb on middle for 8Thumb on index for 9

The teens!10: thumb sticks in air and shakeFlickers: 11 and 12Wigglers: 13, 14, 15Shakers: 16, 17, 18, 19

The 20s20: tap the index and thumb together with the palm facing out.21: gun salute22: 2 + 2 palm down23 29: L + 3 (+4, +5, +6, +7, +8, +9)

100 - 500Use the scrunch method.Palm is out

600 - 900Use the C methodPalm is out

1,000Non-dominant hand is sideways and dominant hand hits the bottom of the palm of the non-dominant hand.

1,000,000Non-dominant hand is sideways and dominant hand hits and moves up the bottom of the palm of the non-dominant hand.

Billion and up: fingerspell

Phone numbers, social security #, etc.Sign the numbers as you would say or write them. Give pauses where appropriate to keep the grouping the way it would be.123-45-6789

ASL SymbolsWORD

fs#OH-I-SEE (- - -)NOT+HERE (+)REAL/TRUE (/)

!BORED! (! !)If you are to sign the word then you must captialize it.

Fingerspell the wordFingerspelled loan signSingle signCompound signsOne sign/2 different meanings.

Gesture-like signEmphasize (stressed)

DIFFERENT++ (++)(2h)(2h) alt.(wh)3

IXIX-locIX-dirRepetition2 hands2 hands alternateSign 3 w/ weak hand.Point at personPoint at locationPoint with directions

qWHqTRQRs:MmmOoooCha

Yes/no questionWh- questionTopicRhetorical questionRole shiftingMediumSmalllarge

DCL Descriptive classifiers: describe an object or person DCL curly hairLCL Locative classifiers: objects in its placeLCL:B leaf drifting to the groundSCL Semantic classifier: category of nouns such as vehicle or personSCL:1 person walking stiffly and hurriedly

BCL Body classifier: body enacts the verb of the sentence.BCL acting machoBCL put arms around friendICL Instrument classifier: which part of the body manipulates the object.ICL drivingICL talking on the phone

BPCL Body Part classifier: specific part of the body doing the action.(2h)BPCL:1 crossing legs(2h)BPCL:B taps footPCL Plural classifier: indicates either specific # or non-specific #PCL:3 people walking(2h)PCL:4 long line of people(2h)PCL:5 traffic