Recently while I was teaching an ASL class a student asked me how to sign "be."
I explained that ASL doesn't use "state of being verbs" and instead handled
"state of being" concepts by using different signs such as:
HAVE / THERE /
TRUE / nodding-of-the-head / ITSELF-(himself/herself/themselves-singular)
This morning I was watching an ASL newscast* and saw a good example of handling
a "state of being verb" phrase that I wanted to mention to you.
The English captions said something to the effect of, "In [name of location]
there is a fresh challenge..."
How do you sign: "There is a..."
The newscaster (Alex Abenchuchan) signed it as: "IX NOW HAVE"
"IX" is an abbreviated way of writing "point at something with your index
finger."
Thus we can think of that as being "THEY NOW HAVE"
or even "THERE-[in-that-location] NOW EXISTS"
English: There is
ASL: HAVE
Does that mean that the "right way" to sign "there is" is to use the sign HAVE?
Be careful to not over-generalize.
I am saying that skilled ASL signers do on occasion use the sign HAVE to express
the concept of "there is" in some circumstances -- particularly when the
underlying meaning is that something "currently exists," or "is available."
- Dr. Bill
Notes:
The concept of "fresh" is typically signed by using the sign for "NEW."
The sign for "challenge" is a single-movement version of the sign "GAME."
*Reference:
Abenchuchan, A.(4/30/2019) The Daily Moth, https://youtu.be/aUCUP7JCAYo?t=23
Notes: