ASL University


 American Sign Language: "Tactical ASL"  [DRAFT]


Note: These sentences and phrases are not intended to be "high level" ASL but rather they are simple "contact signing" phrases and signs for use between "Hearing" Police Officers and the Deaf people with whom they occasionally interact.  Additionally, these phrases do not replace the need for a qualified interpreter.  There is however a span of time between when an interpreter is called and when the interpreter arrives that it might be beneficial for an emergency personnel worker to have at least a working knowledge of a basic set of signs with which he or she is able to communicate.
 



Sample Quiz (01)

 


Quiz Answers:
01. I am giving you a ticket.
02. You went through a stop sign.
03. Do you have a license?
04. Where do you live?
05. What is your address?
06. I don't understand you.
07. Do you have any weapons on you?
08. Have you been drinking?
09. Is there a gun in the house?
10. Where is he/she?
11. Did he/she hurt you?
12. I am giving you a warning.
13. Is she your wife?
14. Did he/she hit you?
15. Do you need an ambulance?
16. Stop. Show me your hands.
17. Is he your husband?
18. Are you hurt? Show me where.
19. I am here to help.
20. Do you have friends or family to notify?
21. Do you take any medications?
22. Do you need help?
23. Are you two married?
24. If you sign slow, I will understand.
25. We have called for an interpreter to come.
26. Do you need a tow truck?
27. An ambulance is coming/on the way.
28. You went through a red light.
29. You were speeding.
30. Are there any weapons in the house?
31. Please stay in your car. I will be right back.
32. I am officer ______
33. You are free to go. Drive safely.
34. Do you have an ID?
35. Is he/she your spouse?


 




Most concepts can be signed in more than one way.  The quiz below covers different versions and approaches to signing various concepts.


Tactical Signing: Alternate Versions Quiz:


 Tactical Signing: Alternate versions quiz: ANSWERS:

1.       MOM WHERE?

2.       YOU WANT ME CALL FRIEND OR-[body-shift] FAMILY FOR YOU QM-wig?

3.       WIFE WHERE?

4.       YOU ANY W-E-A-P-O-N YOU?

5.       YOUR BODY YOU HIDE GUN KNIFE ANYTHING DANGER YOU?

6.       YOU WANT TOW CAR COME?

7.       STOP INDEX-[point-to-hand] HANDS-[raise-up-palms-forward] I/me lets-SEE

8.       YOU RECENT HOUR 2-HOUR DRINK-ALCOHOL YOU?

9.       NOW-NIGHT YOU DRINK-ALCOHOL YOU?

10.     DAUGHTER WHERE?

11.     AMBULANCE-[emergency-vehicle-lights] COME-to-here-[head-nod].)

12.     YOU HAVE LICENSE?

13.     CALL FRIEND FAMILY YOU WANT YOU?

14.     YOU RECENT take-PILL, INJECT ANY YOU?

15.     HOSPITAL CAR COME-to-here.

16.     STOP lets-SEE YOUR HANDS.

17.     I CAN CONTACT HE/SHE FOR YOU.

18.     PLEASE STAY SIT.

19.     YOUR BODY HURT WHERE?

20.     SON WHERE?

21.     PLEASE SIT STAY FOR SAFE.

22.     YOU WANT ME CALL TOW FOR YOU? INFORM-you TRUE EXPENSIVE

23.     I GO SHORT-soon MY CAR I BK-[back-to-here]

24.     GUN KNIFE BAT YOU HAVE YOU?

25.     HUSBAND WHERE?

26.     YOU DRINK-alcohol HOW-MUCH?

27.     BABY WHERE?

28.     I GO MY CAR TYPE-keyboard SOON I/ME COME-back.

29.     UP-TO-NOW YOU DRINK-ALCOHOL ANY?

30.     DAD WHERE?

31.     lets-SEE

32.     YOU REQUIRE RX YOU?

33.     THIS HOUSE HIDE GUN ANY?

34.     YOU ANY MEDICINE MUST YOU?

35.     CAR BREAKDOWN? NEED TOW YOU?

36.     YOU DRINK-alcohol WHEN?

37.     IT HOUSE ANY GUN QM-wig?

38.     GUN KNIFE YOU HAVE WITH YOU NOW?

39.     CONTACT FRIEND OR-[body-shift] FAMILY YOU WANT YOU?

40.     YOU HAVE ID PICTURE CARD-[rectangle]?

 



-I am officer ______ (insert name)

-Do you have an ID/license?

-Where do you live/What is your address?

-I don't understand you.

-Do you have any weapons on you?

-Are there any weapons/guns in the house?

-Where is he/she?

-Did he/she hurt you? (also possibly substitute "hit" for "hurt")

-Do you need an ambulance?

-An ambulance is coming/on the way.

-Are you hurt? Show me where.

-I am here to help.

-Do you have friends or family to notify?

-Do you take any medications?

-Do you need help?

-Is he/she your wife/husband?

-If you sign slow, I will understand.

-Family signs: mother, father, sister, brother, husband, wife, children, etc.

-We have called for an interpreter to come.

-Do you need a tow truck?

-Stop. Show me your hands.

-You went through a red light.

-You went through a stop sign.

-You were speeding.

-Have you been drinking?

-Please stay in your car. I will be right back.

-I am giving you a warning.

-I am giving you a ticket.

-You are free to go. Drive safely.

 





ADDITIONAL VOCABULARY   DRAFT
 

STOP

GO

"Against the law" = FORBIDDEN

[Additional signs and a video will be posted here.]

 

 







Individual Sentence Links:  DRAFT
 

01.     I am giving you a ticket.  (I/ME TICKET YOU)

02.     You went through a stop sign. (YOU THROUGH STOP SIGN YOU

03.     Do you have a license? (lets-SEE LICENSE

04.     Where do you live? (YOU LIVE WHERE?

05.     What is your address? (YOUR ADDRESS WHAT?

06.     I don't understand you. (I/ME don't-UNDERSTAND

07.     Do you have any weapons on you? (GUN KNIFE YOU HAVE YOU?

08.     Have you been drinking? (YOU DRINK-ALCOHOL YOU?

09.     Is there a gun in the house? (THIS HOUSE ANY GUN?

10.     Where is he/she?  (HE/SHE WHERE

11.     Did he/she hurt you? (HE/SHE HURT YOU QM-wig?)

12.     I am giving you a warning. (I NOT TICKET YOU. I GIVE-you WARNING.)

13.     Is she your wife? (SHE YOUR WIFE?)

14.     Did he/she hit you? (HE/SHE HIT-[impact] YOU)

15.     Do you need an ambulance? (YOU NEED HOSPITAL CAR emergency-vehicle-LIGHTS YOU QM-wig?)

16.     Stop. Show me your hands. (STOP.  SHOW-me YOUR HANDS.)

17.     Is he your husband? (HE YOUR HUSBAND?)

18.     Are you hurt? Show me where. (YOU PAIN? SHOW-me WHERE?)

19.     I am here to help. (I/ME HERE HELP-you.)

20.     Do you have friends or family to notify? (YOU FRIEND FAMILY WANT INFORM-to-he/she?)

21.     Do you take any medications? (YOU MEDICINE take-PILL ANY YOU?)

22.     Do you need help? (YOU NEED HELP YOU?)

23.     Are you two married? (YOU-TWO MARRY?)

24.     If you sign slow, I will understand. (IF-[suppose] YOU SIGN SLOW I CAN UNDERSTAND.)

25.     We have called for an interpreter to come. (I PHONE-to INTERPRETER COME-to-here-[head-nod].)

26.     Do you need a tow truck? (YOU WANT TOW TRUCK COME?)

27.     An ambulance is coming/on the way. (HOSPITAL emergency-vehicle-lights COME-to-here-[head-nod].)

28.     You went through a red light. (YOU THROUGH RED LIGHT-device.)

29.     You were speeding. (YOU SPEEDING.)

30.     Are there any weapons in the house? (THIS HOUSE ANY GUN KNIFE ANYTHING?)

31.     Please stay in your car. I will be right back. (PLEASE STAY CAR.  I/ME GO-there COME-back.)

32.     I am officer Vicars. (I/ME POLICE. I NAME V-I-C-A-R-S)

33.     You are free to go. Drive safely. (I/ME FINISH. YOU CAN LEAVE.  DRIVE SAFE.)

34.     Do you have an ID? (YOU HAVE ID?)

35.     Is he/she your spouse? (HE/SHE YOUR MARRY?)

 


Note: "QM-wig" means "question mark wiggle" and is used to emphasize that you need an answer.  While in some circumstances QM-wig is used to indicate incredulity or skepticism that is not the case with tactical signing. Here we are using it to make absolutely clear that you are now ready for an answer.

Isolated English phrases or statements are problematic in that their meaning may depend on situational knowledge. For example, "Is there a gun in the house?" We don't know if we are currently in the house or standing outside of the house.  The way we sign the question will depend on knowing whether we are "in" the house or not so that we can know whether we should sign "IT" or if we should instead sign "THIS."   A question and direction like "Are you hurt? Show me where." -- is problematic because it uses a state of being verb which in ASL could be interpreted several ways. YOU HURT?-[eyebrows-up] could mean "Were you hurt?" "Did you get hurt?" "Are you hurt?" If it is understood as "Were you hurt?" and then followed by WHERE? -- it could possibly cause someone to think that you want to know the physical location (such as the kitchen) where the injury took place (rather than the place on the body).  If there is a lot of situational context it will be obvious which meaning you intend and you can thus use fewer signs.  However if the situation is ambiguous you will want/need to use additional signs to clarify your meaning.

"Have you been" (as in "Have you been drinking?"), is another "state of being" concept (been) that will need either "high context" or additional signs to clarify the intent of the officer.

Signing notes and versions for video development and discussion:
 

Do you have any weapons on you? GUN KNIFE YOU HAVE YOU?  GUN KNIFE BAT YOU HAVE YOU? GUN KNIFE YOU HAVE WITH YOU NOW?   YOUR BODY YOU HIDE GUN KNIFE ANYTHING DANGER YOU? YOU ANY W-E-A-P-O-N YOU?

 

 Is there a gun in the house? THIS HOUSE ANY GUN?  THIS HOUSE HIDE GUN ANY?  IT HOUSE ANY GUN QM-wig?

 

Have you been drinking? YOU DRINK-ALCOHOL YOU?  YOU RECENT HOUR 2-HOUR DRINK-ALCOHOL YOU?  NOW-NIGHT YOU DRINK-ALCOHOL YOU?  UP-TO-NOW YOU DRINK-ALCOHOL ANY? YOU DRINK WHEN?  YOU DRINK HOW-MUCH?

 

 

Where is he/she?  HE/SHE WHERE?  HUSBAND WHERE?  WIFE WHERE?  SON WHERE? BABY WHERE? DAUGHTER WHERE?  MOM WHERE? DAD WHERE?

 

 

Stop. Show me your hands. (STOP.  SHOW-me YOUR HANDS.)  STOP lets-SEE YOUR HANDS.  STOP  INDEX-[point-to-hand] HANDS-[raise-up-palms-forward]

 

Are you hurt? Show me where. (YOU PAIN? SHOW-me WHERE?) YOUR BODY HURT WHERE?

 

 

Do you have friends or family to notify? (YOU FRIEND FAMILY WANT INFORM-to-he/she?) CONTACT FRIEND OR-[body-shift] FAMILY YOU WANT YOU?  CALL FRIEND FAMILY YOU WANT YOU?  YOU WANT ME CALL FRIEND OR-[body-shift] FAMILY FOR YOU QM-wig?

 

 

Do you take any medications? (YOU MEDICINE take-PILL ANY YOU?)  YOU ANY MEDICINE MUST YOU?  YOU REQUIRE RX YOU?  YOU RECENT take-PILL, INJECT ANY YOU?

 

Do you need a tow truck? (YOU WANT TOW TRUCK COME?)  YOU WANT TOW CAR COME?  YOU WANT ME CALL TOW FOR YOU?  CAR BREAKDOWN?  NEED TOW YOU?  I CAN CALL FOR YOU.  I CAN CONTACT FOR YOU.

 

An ambulance is coming/on the way. (HOSPITAL emergency-vehicle-lights COME-to-here-[head-nod].)  HOSPITAL CAR COME-to-here.  AMBULANCE-[emergency-vehicle-lights] COME-to-here-[head-nod].)

 

 

Please stay in your car. I will be right back. (PLEASE STAY.  I/ME GO-there COME-back.)  PLEASE STAY. I GO MY CAR TYPE-keyboard SOON COME-back.  PLEASE SIT STAY FOR SAFE. I GO SHORT-soon MY CAR I BK-[back-to-here]

 

Do you have an ID? (YOU HAVE ID?) YOU HAVE ID PICTURE CARD-[rectangle]?
 






Notes:


In a message dated 5/26/2015 3:47:58 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time, a police officer writes:

[Edited]  Dr. Vicars,
... I discovered your lessons while doing a YouTube search about a year or so ago. A neighbor in my new apartment at the time was Deaf
 and used a wheelchair. After realizing how difficult it was to communicate by writing messages down, I took to the internet to help me out. After a few short lessons, I was having limited conversation with my neighbor, and it was very motivating for me to see how excited he was that I was learning sign language now. Unfortunately, I no longer live next to my friend, and find myself refreshing my memory with your videos quite often. I am currently a police officer, and have been for several years actually. It's not an everyday occurrence, but I do find myself in situations where knowing sign language has benefited me. In fact, just the other day, a gentleman was having trouble with his phone system. Since my knowledge of sign is limited, we found ourselves writing messages on paper again. Most of the sign language that I have learned is great for meeting people in a personal setting, but these are not the questions necessary to find out information from citizens while I'm at work.

After searching your website, I did find that there are programs out in California designed for law enforcement and emergency personnel, but I currently reside in Pennsylvania. I like the "self taught" route, and was wondering if you have ever considered making a video geared towards law enforcement and emergency personnel so that we could refresh our memories by using a single video? I realize this is a tall order given how busy you must be, but I thought it was at least worth a shot. It doesn't hurt to ask, right? There are similar programs for us for folks who speak Spanish. They call it "tactical Spanish". It's great for basic questions that we frequently use, and works excellent. I happen to be more interested and passionate about sign language, as there are several Spanish speaking officers in the area already. If you have any questions of me, I would be more than happy to help out in any way I can if you believe this is something you could do. I look forward to hearing from you Dr Vicars! I will continue to enjoy your lessons regardless.
Sincerely,
Steve __________

 

 

 


 


 


Want to help support ASL University?  It's easy DONATE (Thanks!)
(You don't need a PayPal account. Just look for the credit card logos and click continue.)

Another way to help is to buy Dr. Bill's "Superdisk."


Want even more ASL resources?  Visit the "ASL Training Center!"  (Subscription Extension of ASLU)   CHECK IT OUT >


Bandwidth slow?  Check out "ASLUniversity.com" (a free mirror of Lifeprint.com -- less traffic, fast access).








You can learn American Sign Language (ASL) online at American Sign Language University ™
ASL resources by Lifeprint.com  ©  Dr. William Vicars
 

 


 

 

back.gif (1674 bytes)