The Complete Idiot's Guide to Conversational Sign Language Illustrated [Paperback]

Carole Lazorisak (Author), Dawn Donohue (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1592572553 | ISBN-13: 978-1592572557 | Publication Date: September 7, 2004 | Edition: Pap/DVD

How to say it in sign.
With over 500 photos and an instructional DVD.

Focusing on the less formal and more popular PSE (Pidgin Sign English), this is the perfect guide to the fundamentals of communicating through sign in a variety of everyday situations. Inside, readers will discover how to sign for small talk, emotions, directions, weather, family and friends, special occasions, recreation, travel, around the house, dining out, shopping, education, at the workplace, emergencies, and more.
• Includes more than 500 photos
• First and only book on sign language that contains a DVD
• There are approximately two million deaf people in the United States
• 90% of deaf children are born to hearing parents, and PSE is the form of signing most often learned and taught by parents

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Carol Lazorisak holds national certificates as a Deaf Certified Interpreter and as a Professional American Sign Language Teacher. Selected as a “New Yorker of the Week” by NY1 Cable, she was featured in the first issue of Biography magazine.

Dawn Donohue is a sign language interpreter and sign language teacher as well as an international management consultant. She is also Ms. Lazorisak’s daughter.

Product Details

• Paperback: 261 pages
• Publisher: Alpha; Pap/DVD edition (September 7, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1592572553
• ISBN-13: 978-1592572557
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 8 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (36 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #122,692 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #72 in Books > Education & Reference > Foreign Languages > Instruction > Sign Language

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

70 of 70 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars More than what meets the eye, January 4, 2005

By 

Curtis Robbins (Olney, Maryland) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Conversational Sign Language Illustrated (Paperback)

As a professor and instructor of ASL and Deaf Culture for over 35 years, this outstanding book mirrors so much of my lecture materials -- and a whole lot more. It has things in it that never crossed my mind to explain to my students. Indeed, it's not by oversight on my part but by intellectual stimulation that Carole and Dawn opted for. I finally found a fabulous textbook for my classes.

There are so many insipid ASL books in the market that either stimulate or encourage anyone to learn because they lacked instructiveness or assimilability. This Idiot won't make a moron out of any willing reader who wants to learn ASL and Deaf culture. Carole and Dawn clearly leads the way to learn and understand how ASL and Deaf culture work. This Idiot even has that wonderful teacher-student aura as one reads and tries to sign. The flow of thought and meaning is so even and clear.

Thanks, Carole and Dawn!

Congratulations!!

Curtis Robbins, Ph.D.

89 of 91 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Possibly the best beginner book out there!, March 22, 2005

By 

Teresa Linton "tlinton" (Woodbridge, Va United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Conversational Sign Language Illustrated (Paperback)

I wish this book had existed when I was first learning sign language! It is possibly the best beginner book out there. It is packed full of useful information, and goes far beyond just picking up sign language, delving into the Deaf world. This book is worth every penny, even if you already know quite a few words.

For newbies: although the author says what you're learning isn't ASL (but rather "Contact Sign") all of the signs are ASL (not Signed Exact English), what she means is that the way they're used in the book is simpler and more like pidgin (only I believe she went a step above that).

The words are ASL, and you will get a better feel of the iconic nature of most signs than with other books (such as making a distinction between just the word "Garage" and a garage that is underground, or a garage that is a few floors up. This is something I hadn't seen in books before, only in video and lifeprint,com.

Speaking of video, it does come with a DVD, which is *wonderful*. Trying to learn ASL from pictures will not work. It's too easy to misread directions (although the illustrations (photos) in this book are clear and well done!).

Don't let the awfulness of "The Complete Idiot's Guide to *Learning* Sign Language" keep you from getting "The Complete Idiot's Guide to *Conversational* Sign Language". This book is completely different!

33 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Now I don't feel like a complete idiot !!!!, December 9, 2004

By 

Olivia Laine (New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Conversational Sign Language Illustrated (Paperback)

This highly-produced book (using photographs of real people - unlike other books which have cartoon/drawn people) and DVD (again, using real people) showed me how to move my hands and face/body accurately. Yes, now I can feel more confident having conversations with deaf people without feeling at a loss for making small talk (those sections of the book and DVD were truly excellent). All the useful signs are in here, the sign conversations/phrases were practical, the stories were fascinating and amusing, and the deaf mother-hearing daughter team is adorable. I love it!


THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!