Customer Reviews

Random House Webster's American Sign Language Medical Dictionary

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I have been impressed with Elaine Costello's previous dictionary, so when I heard this book was out I was ready for something great! She did not disappoint. This book uses medical terminology to provide signed translations. I have found these to be very helpful. (In fact it helped me to understand the medical terminology better through the use of signs!) I think this is a must have for any interpreter, and beneficial for many deaf people.

This book is invaluable for anyone in the medical field who wants to communicate in sign. The medical term is defined and then how to sign the word is described in words as well as illustrated in diagrams. The diagrams are fairly easy to follow even if you aren't very good at translating things into three dimensions from 2 dimensions. I am very glad I bought this book.

I have no idea why other reviewers gave this book a "5." I work in an ER and was looking forward to receiving this book, especially since I have only one semester of sign language under my belt. However, there is a lot of basic stuff missing from this dictionary--a result, I imagine, of someone who is not a medical professional putting together a book of medical signs. When I'm doing triage, for example, I need to know a patient's medical history. We're especially worried about cardiac events and stroke, as you would imagine, yet there is nothing listed for "stroke" and nothing for "bypass" or "stents." Even parts of the body are left out: there's no "gallbladder," "liver," "spleen" or "pancreas," for example. Do I assume there are no signs for these and I should fingerspell them? And while "kidney" is included, the written description of the sign doesn't correlate with the picture (if my palm is supposed to be against my right side, why does the drawing show the pinky side of the hand against the right side?). This book is a big disappointment. I don't know who it's intended for, but it's not for folks in the medical field. It's very frustrating finding sign language material for the medical field.

Wonderful book if your interested in the medical field and incorporating it with ASL, the book is simple enough for beginners to understand the hand movments and easy to pick up for advanced students!

This book is absolutely worth having!
All the medical terms you never thought you'd find!
SIGNS in expanded form and broken down and easy to remember.
A must have for all those serious students.
Great condition and speedy delivery!!
Thank you!!!!!!

It is an awsome book. Really good for interpreters going into medical situations. I really enjoy the break down of each sign that defines the word in english. sometimes an English word will take three signs and the book goes through each one.

It came as promised and in a timely manner.