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The American Sign Language Phrase Book [Paperback]

Lou Fant (Author), Betty G. Miller (Illustrator)
4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (44 customer reviews)


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The American Sign Language Phrase Book The American Sign Language Phrase Book 4.4 out of 5 stars (19)
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Book Description

0809235005 978-0809235001 September 1, 1994 1

This is the reference guide to everyday expressions in American Sign Language, providing the quickest way to converse with people who are deaf or hearing impaired.

Now updated and expanded, this bestselling manual is clearly illustrated with thousands of line drawings and is very easy to use. Organized by topic, its chapters focus on areas such as health, family, school, sports, travel, religion, time, money, food and drink, and even small talk. A detailed discussion of ASL grammar (very different from English grammar) and a compact dictionary of signs are also included.

This edition reflect the evolution of the language--changes in its grammar as well as changes that are a result of the recent movement toward replacing stereotypical signs with their neutral counterparts.

The only ASL phrase book available, this handy guide can function as both an instant reference tool and a long-term study guide.



Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Lou Fant (1931-2001) was heralded as a leading expert in the ASL field and considered the ambassador between two worlds. He was a teacher, interpreter, consultant, sign language coach, and actor. His accomplishments included cofounding the National Theatre of the Deaf in 1967; creating the sign language for the film “Clan of the Cave Bear;” being the sign language coach in “Children of a Lesser God;” coaching such actors as Diane Keaton and Mare Winningham; appearing in scores of movies, plays, TV shows; and hosting the Emmy Award-winning TV program "Off Hand."


Product Details

  • Paperback: 368 pages
  • Publisher: McGraw-Hill; 1 edition (September 1, 1994)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0809235005
  • ISBN-13: 978-0809235001
  • Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 1.1 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
  • Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (44 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #377,202 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

 

Customer Reviews

44 Reviews
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4 star:
 (15)
3 star:
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Average Customer Review
4.5 out of 5 stars (44 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

83 of 84 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars really helpful for the ASL student, January 11, 2005
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This review is from: The American Sign Language Phrase Book (Paperback)
I love this book! If you are trying to learn ASL, you will probably learn a lot from this book. It is divided into chapters by subject, like "Health" "Travel" and "Animals and Colors." So, you are able to build your vocabulary as you are learning basic grammar.

ASL syntax is quite different from English, so I have found it very helpful to use this book. All of the phrases and sentences are shown in ASL, so you are able to learn how to piece your signs together.

Also, the drawings are great - the character who models the signs looks very amiable.

I'm just a beginner in ASL, mostly I know vocabulary. I have just begun to try to grasp the grammar, and this book has been a big help. I highly recommend it!
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66 of 66 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Good but not the best!, November 26, 2001
By A Customer
This review is from: The American Sign Language Phrase Book (Paperback)
This book is a good resource for learning ASL signs. While it does do a good job introducing beginners to ASL phrases and also displays the difference between ASL and Signed Exact English (often mistaken for ASL), it does not explain the grammar rules of ASL. The point being that, after one has learned the signs in the book, one has no way of knowing how to form other phrases on their own. Instead of teaching the method, this book teaches memorization. This is okay sometimes but for those who REALLY want to learn the language and become fluent, it is not enough. To learn ASL grammar, I would recommend "American Sign Language: A Teacher's Resource Text on Grammar and Culture" by Baker-Shenk and Cokely. All in all, this book is pretty good and is much better than many other resources out there, it's just not enough.
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50 of 51 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars A very good place to start, September 15, 2003
By 
James Jones (Clive, IA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This review is from: The American Sign Language Phrase Book (Paperback)
This book is a very good starting point for learning ASL, because it emphasizes that ASL is NOT English. The introductory discussion of ASL points it out repeatedly, and the organization as a phrase book rather than a dictionary drives the point home. I wish I'd had this book from the beginning.

(Besides, I always grin when I see the illustrations, because they look to me like Colin Machrie of _Whose Line is it Anyway?_ fame.)

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Inside This Book (learn more)
First Sentence:
American Sign Language, commonly abbreviated to ASL and occasionally known as Ameslan, is the sign language most deaf people use when they are communicating among themselves. Read the first page
Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
deaf people
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
New York, American Sign Language
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Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
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