Signing For Dummies [Paperback]

Adan R. Penilla II (Author), Angela Lee Taylor (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 20, 2003 | ISBN-10: 0764554360 | ISBN-13: 978-0764554360

American Sign Language (ASL) is something we've all seen Deaf people use in restaurants, hospitals, airports, and throughout the marketplace. The communication is fascinating to watch; to see people sharing ideas by using handshapes and body language is remarkable in a world so defined by sound.

Signing For Dummies gives you a general understanding of the properties of Sign, as well as an understanding of Deaf culture. Designed to act as an introduction or a refresher, the book focuses solely on ASL. Although certainly not the only form of Sign Language, ASL is the most popular in the Deaf community within the United States.

Categorized by subject, this illustrated guide covers grammar and sentence structure, along with the tools to get you going in basic conversation by knowing how to

• Introduce and greet people
• Ask questions and make small talk
• Order food and chat with salespeople
• Handle medical emergencies
• Talk on the phone
• Get around town for fun or business

Although "speaking" American Sign Language (ASL) is mostly a matter of using your fingers, hands, and arms, facial expression and body language are important and sometimes crucial for understanding Signs and their meaning. Signing For Dummies gets the whole body into the action as the fun-to-read resource explores

• Signs that look like what they mean
• Expression of emotions and feelings
• Signing sports and weather
• Compass points conversations: Getting or giving directions
• Descriptions of where it hurts
• Deaf community customs, norms, and culture

Each chapter throughout the book invites you to practice specific Signs in a "Fun & Games" section. Translation guides complement the video CD-ROM, which features demonstrations by ASL Signers and actual conversations in progress – all designed to have you moving your hands, body, and face to convey meaning that reaches way beyond linguistic barriers.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

"As an ASL teacher . . . I love the complete and simple layout of this book."
—Don Cabbage, PhD, author, International Sign Language Series

Filled with hundreds of detailed illustrations

"This book really caught my attention. Everyone should read the chapter on Deaf Etiquette."
—Dr. Neal Weaver, President Louisiana Baptist University

Want to discover more about ASL? This friendly guide explains the basics you need to start communicating right away, from proper handshapes and body language to vocabulary and grammar. With the conversations in the book and on the CD-ROM, you’ll build your skills for use in the home, office, and out and about town.

All this on the bonus CD-ROM:

• Pick up Signing the easy way –through actual conversations
• Features demonstrations by ASL Signers
• Allows you to see ASL in action
• Reinforces lessons from the book

About the Author

Adan R. Penilla, II is President of the Colorado Registry of Interpreters, Pikes Peak Affiliate. He has his NAD IV interpreting certification and his legal qualification. In 1995, he was an interpreter at the World Federation of the Deaf in Vienna and is currently teaching ASL at Trinidad State Junior College. He has written an ASL Quick Study Bar Chart and WW II for the Deaf. He lectures on Sign language throughout the United States and is currently working on his PhD. 

Angela Lee Taylor is the Interpreter Coordinator at the Colorado Springs School for the Deaf and Blind. She was born deaf and is a native of Dixon, Illinois. Taylor graduated from Illinois School for the Deaf in 1985 and later received her bachelor's degree from Gallaudet University in 1997. During the past five years, Taylor has taught ASL for Pikes Peak Community College, Colorado School for the Deaf and the Blind, and the community. Taylor has annually coordinated for the statewide Deaf and Hard of Hearing Symposium for four years running. She is a tutor for the shared Reading Project (SRP) and is also involved with ASLTAC. Taylor resides in Pueblo, Colorado.

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: For Dummies (June 20, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764554360
• ISBN-13: 978-0764554360
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #56,164 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #38 in Books > Education & Reference > Foreign Languages > Instruction > Sign Language

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars A good idea ruined by bad editing, November 17, 2003

By 

Damon D (Rochester, NY USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Signing For Dummies (Paperback)

This book is so riddled with errors and inconsistencies that I frequently find myself putting it down in disgust. Here are a few golden examples from the quiz on page 49:

- The man in Figure "a" is making the sign for the question word "what". Alas, this word is not introduced until page 77. The sign is supposed to be the exclamation word "what!" introduced on page 36.

- Figure "b" is the sign for "big", but this sign has not been taught. In fact, if the index is to be trusted, the word "big" is NEVER mentioned again in the book.

- Figure "f" is the sign for "food" (noun), but the answer is supposed to be "eat" (verb). The difference between the two signs is clearly illustrated on pages 30, 31, and 109.

Another frustrating inconsistency occurs on page 78. The sign for "why?" is described as "touch the side of your forehead with the fingers of your dominant hand; extend your thumb and pinky (in the Y sign) as you bring your hand down, middle three fingers in, to chest level." However the accompanying figure in the book shows the sign as a flexing of the middle finger toward the speaker. The description matches the sign we use in my area for "why?", and the illustration matches what is used in the CD-ROM. Both are probably correct (although I am only familiar with the "Y sign" that we use here in Rochester), but it only confuses the issue to describe the sign one way and show it another.

I very much wanted to like this book. I think the authors approach the material in a fresh and interesting way. Unfortunately whoever was responsible for compiling the illustrations really screwed up. In a visual-based language, that is unforgivable.

My hope is that this book will be rereleased in a corrected second edition. Until then, I advise people to steer clear. What saves the book from a one-star rating is that the text itself is written well, particularly when explaining grammar and Deaf culture.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Would recommend learning from a video first, July 14, 2004

By 

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

This review is from: Signing For Dummies (Paperback)

I nearly didn't buy the book, based on the poor reviews it got. Luckily, I spotted it in the bookstore and flipped through. It's actually quite good. I wouldn't pick it as your first book on sign language though, as some things tend to get a bit confusing if you don't already know some sign.

For example, I noticed one of the illustrations was of one version of a sign, and the description was another. Both were valid signs that meant the same thing, but it would have been better to have just one.

I also loved the CD in the back of the book. It is a wonderful idea for a book to show the language in motion.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Ok... but not great., May 1, 2004

By 

michael anderson (ft lauderdale, fl United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Signing For Dummies (Paperback)

I have been teaching myself sign over the last couple of years. I found certain area's of this book helpful. Such as the "Cheat Sheet" that comes with it that has the alphabet and numbers on it. On the back are some begginer sayings such as "please" and "thank you".

I have found many other books much more useful (as I already well know the alphabet ;) ).

I does have some interesting/helpful hints and games to play that do allow you to practice. And also a quiz at the end of each chapter.

Pick up the "ASL Dictionary" before you open this book and you'll be better off. In my opinion.

I give this book a 3 but I was close to giving it a 2. :D