Customer Reviews

The Perigee Visual Dictionary of Signing

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

As a professional sign language interpreter, I am often asked by non-signers to recommend a book for them to begin learning this beautiful, expressive language...this is always the first one I mention!

Unlike a lot of the other ASL books, this one has clear and precise diagrams as well as written descriptions of each sign. This book was such a relief to find after trying to make sense out of the badly drawn signs shown in most other ASL dictionaries and workbooks.

As a Deaf ASL teacher, I often search out new (and not so new) resources to supplement my teaching. I've found many of Flodin's books to be bad news to the ASL teacher, for they are strictly English-based. However, this being a dictionary, sentence structure is not an issue. Therefore, this book is a definite asset to anyone's repertoire.

"The Perigee Dictionary" has very clear illustrations and descriptions of over 1500 signs. It also includes memory aids to help you retain what you are learning. It is in basic, A - Z, format and serves as a wonderful starting point for people interested in learning signs.

One must be careful to remember a few things, however: There are regional dialects and what is signed one way in Michigan is signed differently in California, this by no means exhausts ASL vocabulary; and, finally, American Sign Language is a foreign language, completely different than English (as different from English as Russian). If you keep those ideas in mind, you should have no trouble utilizing this fabulous resource while understanding how much more there is to know.

Highly recommended as an initial dictionary. That's just this deafie's opinion. :v)

The clear easy-to-understand descriptions and pictures make using this dictionary a breeze. One of the best signing books I've seen.

I have just started learning to sign. I used the smaller pocket version of this book to learn my first 600 signs. I purchased this larger version to continue my learning. The descriptions are clear, and the memory hints are very helpful. I recommend this book without reservation!

As an ASL student, I was rather disappointed with this book's word coverage. It was rather spotty, showing words such as "roller skate"(as a verb) but not "roll", for example. If you already know ASL and just forgot a word or want to brush up on the language, I don't recommend this book for you.
However, this would be a great teaching/learning aid, boasting such features as large and detailed pictures, written directions on how to form a sign, alphabetical word listings, memory aids and context examples on how the word is used. This is great for educators to use as pseudo-textbooks during lessons. However, its poor dictionary coverage will limit its use somewhat.

Having experience with American Sign Language for almost 10 years, I have read (and own) a great many signing books and dictionaries. This is by far the best. The drawings are easy to understand (which is often not the case with many books), and is accompanied by a text description as well. Each entry also has suggestions of the origin of the sign, but also can help a student remember the word as a memory aide. There are many signs in here that other dictionaries do not include, though it (of course) doesn't have everything. The signs are usually "modern" versions of a sign (as languages change and adapt), unlike some books which have very old signs or even signs exclusive to SEE signing. I would recommend to anyone learning ASL.

Very clear pictures. I like the format--alphabetical. Makes it easy to look up words.

Please note that I am not rating the 1995 edition. Mine is the earlier 1992 edition and it is OK as a pocket dictionary, but it has a huge section of supplemental signs appended. They were probably added as an afterthought, but you have to look up a word twice to see if it is in that edition. No one complains about that problem in this 1995 edition, so I guess the publisher cleaned the book up. Anyway, my main dictionary is the Costello Unabridged dictionary. I am learning ASL from a great free website ([...]) but need both an unabridged dictionary as well as a pocketsize abridged dictionary to refer to when I am not near the computer. See my review of the Costello Unabridged Dictionary for details. This book has good drawings that are not too small despite the pocketbook size. I use it all the time when I am travelling, and despite the limited size of the vocabulary, it has many of the signs I am frequently looking for.