Story 7

HUNGRY ME. WANT EAT. NOW NOW I FEEL CAN EAT PIZZA CL:bent-LL-(Use bent "L" hands to show the size of a medium to large pizza) ALL MYSELF. TOMORROW I GO MOVIE. EAT, EAT, EAT WILL ME! POPCORN, HOTDOG, CANDY, DRINK, WILL FULL ME. MY FAVORITE FOOD? COOKIES, MILK ICL-"Dip cookie into a cup of milk, take a bite."

Note:  "CL:" is a way of indicating a special sign known as a "classifier."
Note:  "ICL" means "instrument classifier."  Instrument classifiers are sometimes used to show the manipulation of an object.  In this story you "manipulate" a cookie and a cup. 

Discussion:

ASL grammar sometimes repeats the subject pronoun at the end of a sentence.  For example, "SUPPOSE YOU EAT 3 HAMBURGER, WILL FULL YOU?"
A more simple example is, "I TEACHER I."  That is perfectly acceptable ASL grammar. You can also sign it "I TEACHER" or "TEACHER I."

Notes: Establishing the topic: "KNOW PIZZA? SUPPOSE 2h-C:CL-(index finger and thumb)-"large", ALL EAT YOURSELF, CAN YOU?

Note: "Bodyshift-or"

FOOD and EAT use the same sign.
If you need to differentiate between the signs, use a small double motion for food and a single normal motion for eat. For the "process of eating" use a somewhat larger double motion. To sign "pig out" alternate using both hands with large movements and lots of facial expression.

Note: in ASL the signs “WITH”  or "AND" are not needed in the sentence "Do you like cookies and milk."

Note:  It would be perfectly fine to sign:  WHAT-KIND CANDY YOU LIKE?
If you sign: "CANDY, WHAT-KIND YOU LIKE ?" you would use a yes/no question expression (eyebrows up, head tilted forward a bit) while signing "CANDY" and then you would switch to a "wh-question" expression (eyebrows down, head tilted a bit back) for the "WHAT-KIND LIKE YOU?"

Note:  It is just as correct to sign "YOU LIKE EAT RED APPLE?" as it is to sign, "APPLE, RED, YOU LIKE EAT YOU?"  Both sentences mean: Do you like to eat red apples? 
 

"ABCOS15"
The letters and numbers "ABCOS15" are the typical hand shapes formed by your non-dominant hand while signing.  Another term for non-dominant hand is your "base" hand.  For two-handed signs in which the two hands don't have the same handshape you will notice that almost without exception the non-dominant hand is in one of these shapes: "ABCOS15."  You see these shapes on the non-dominant signing hand when it is providing a stationary base for your "in-motion" dominant hand.
 

Repeating the Pronoun:

Often times when we are signing we tend to repeat a pronoun at the end of our sentences.  For example:

YOU GO YOU?

That sentence might be used to ask someone if they are going to some (already established in the conversation) place.  Think of the repeated pronoun as filling the same function as vocal inflection does for hearing people. It is used when asking questions or emphasizing statements.  If I want to know if someone "is going" -- I might repeat the pronoun and hold it there for an extended time as a way of making it clear that I want an answer.

I could also just sign:  (with appropriate facial expressions)

GO YOU?
or
YOU GO?  

All three versions are "correct.

A version that wouldn't be correct in ASL would be

INCORRECT VERSION:  "ARE"-(English sign) YOU GO+ING
Using a separate sign for "ARE" and adding a suffix "ING" to this sentence takes it out of the realm of ASL and moves it into the realm of signed English.

DISCUSSION:

Students asked: 

Question:  Is there a difference between "soup" and "spoon?" 
Response:  The signs are very similar, except that for the sign "spoon" you "drop the bowl" (the non-dominant hand) and emphasize the "spoon."

Is there one "best" sign for PIZZA?
Response:  Depends on where you live.  There are at least three strong signs for pizza. I tend to use the "bent-v" hand moving in a Z pattern.

I've seen two signs for "tomoato."  Which one is right?
Response:  Both signs are "correct" in that they are both used in the Deaf community.  One version uses an index finger on the dominant hand and a "flattened O" hand on the base hand.  That version is a bit older. 
A "newer" version of the sign uses an "index finger" on both hands.  This is an example of language "evolution."  Over time, ASL signs tend to become more simple to produce.

Is there a difference between "food" and "eat?"
Response:  FOOD and EAT use the same sign. You can inflect it to show different concepts like "pig out." (For example, use two hands and repeated movements.)  If you need to differentiate between the signs eat and food (maybe you are taking a "nutrition class"), you could use a small double motion for food and a single normal motion for eat. For the “process of eating” use a somewhat larger double motion. There really isn't much difference between asking, "What is your favorite food?" vs "What do you prefer to eat?"  It is the same concept.

How is the sign church different from the sign chocolate?
Response:  The sign chocolate moves in a horizontal circle on the back of the base hand.  The sign Church does a slight up and down tap on the back of the base hand.

Question:  How is the sign "FORK" different from the sign "STAND?"
Response:  The sign "FORK" varies widely.  Some people show three tines.  Some show just two.  For FORK I angle my base hand at more of a slant and I use a repeated jabbing movement.
For STAND I hold my base hand more "palm up" and use a "contact hold" movement.

Question:  If someone has heard that "I don't like candy" and they look at me and ask "You don't like candy?!?" What is a good reply?

Response: 
[If you really do like candy:  I LIKE!
If you want to confirm that you don't like candy: RIGHT, I DON'T-LIKE
If you sort of like candy sign:  SO-SO
If you like some but not all you could sign:  SOME LIKE, SOME DON'T-LIKE

Dr. Bill's new iPhone "Fingerspelling Practice" app is available now for just 99 cents!   GET IT HERE!  

NEW!  Online "ASL Training Center!"  (Premium Subscription Version of ASLU)  ** CHECK IT OUT **

Also available: "ASLUniversity.com" (a mirror of Lifeprint.com less traffic, fast access)  ** VISIT NOW **

Want to help support Lifeprint / ASLU?  It's easy!