Customer Reviews

Signing For Dummies

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

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.

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.

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

I don't particularly reccommend this for a complete neophyte to signing, as I was when I got this book. As other reviewers have suggested, a thorough video, or book-video combination might be best. There is a CD that comes with the book, however, it is too simple and has minimalist videos, making it by and large useless for a beginner.

The saving grace of Signing for Dummies is clear and simple sign diagramming, imbuing the book with at least one redeeming quality.

This is a very good book for learning individual signs the right way. The signs are accurate, however you will find that some may vary greatly in the deaf community of your area. The ASL speaking community varies greatly, like most other language groups, from one geographic location to another. It more or less amounts to slang. Be assured, if you sign something the deaf do not understand, they will tell you. Then you can spell the word to them and they'll tell you how they sign it. This book is a great start, it has a lot of signs, doesn't really touch on grammar much, but great book to start with.

This is the best book I've had to refresh and learn sign language. The book has many ways to remember the signs via the intergrated CD, tips, and remember hints. I got the Kindle Edition for my Kindle Fire and it is easy to follow. For instance, I can be reading about a certain conversation, and if there are more points on that conversation in another chapter, I can imediately go to the other chapter and then return to my original place in the book. It is not to be read like a regular book, but to be exployed. I'm having fun with it and that's how I know I will learn the signs and remember them.

Brought this book when I began to learn to sign. It is a great basic book for those learning to sign. It is a good reference book to keep on hand.

i picked it up at a bookstore because i wanted to learn ASL. this is really a good book and talks a lot about the culture. the cd is a great accompanyment to the book. the signs in the book can get sonfuning so there are sometimes that i have to look online for better visuals though. i think this is a great user-friendly first book for learning sign language. i do use other websites as well. i wouldn't use the book as a stand alone learning tool.

It's a very good book to learn signing. The only problem, more of a frustration, was figuring out the directions of the arrows (ie. side to side or backwards or forwards).

I am taking ASL in the spring semester just to learn another language. It will also provide me with an additional asset where I am a RN in a hospital. The book is a great supplement to help me with my class. The book helps learning the language fun.