Religious Signing: A Comprehensive Guide For All Faiths (Paperback)

by Elaine Costello (Author), Lois Lehman (Illustrator)
Key Phrases: initialized sign, extended right index finger, gathering the fingertips, Roman Catholic Church, Holy Spirit, New Testament (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
The bond between sign language and religion dates to the 11th century where it was developed by French monks. This totally new guide contains all the vocabulary and information you need to communicate effectively with the deaf in any religious setting.

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Bantam (January 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553342444
• ISBN-13: 978-0553342444
• Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 7.8 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #26,816 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #17 in	Books > Reference > Foreign Languages > Instruction > Sign Language
  #57 in	Books > Religion & Spirituality > Religious Studies > Comparative Religion

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

74 of 75 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Resource, June 14, 2002

By	Christopher C. Alsruhe (Baltimore, Maryland United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This text, like others from Elaine Costello, is comprehensive concerning religious signs. I did not say exhaustive. There is no such thing. The geographic and cultural variations are too great to fully document in one text. Contrary to another reviewer, there are not wrong signs in this book. The reviewer mistook geographic variation with which she was not familiar for mistakes. But Elaine Costello isn't going to offer wrong signs! She's an expert and it's just not going to happen. This text, along with the medical sign dictionary, should be used with the American Sign Language dictionary she published in the early 90's, which is also comprehensive. There are many other sign books out there, and many have come to think that "The Joy of Signing" is about the best. But it's far from it. It's good, but it doesn't actually present American Sign Language; rather, it presents Signed English. One is better off just grouping together Costello's comprehensive resources for referencing signs and then buying ASL grammar books to supplement. If, on the other hand, one wants to learn Signed English--which is not accepted in the Deaf community--then buy all the sign dictionaries you want and skip the grammar books.

Costello has set the standard for sign language dictionaries and there's really no need for others to produce their own competitive versions. Costello should just continue to expand her current works and also produce other specialized dictionaries as she did with the religious and medical field. The next one she should produce is a legal dictionary. Others should consider writing books which better explain the grammar of the language of the Deaf community. Those who use Signed English aren't speaking another language; they're speaking coded English, just like writing and morse code and fingerspelling is just coded English. The Hearing community needs to learn to speak ASL, not coded English; and Costello, not Reikohoff, leads much more in this direction.

56 of 58 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Great Source, March 24, 2000

By	Dave (Fort Thomas, Kentucky) - See all my reviews

As a certified sign language interpretor who started interpreting services six years ago, this book has proved an invaluable resource to me personally and an excellent teaching tool for church service interpretors.

The illusrations and written instructions for each sign are excellent. The range of signs given is impressive.

However there are a few drawbacks.

First the appendixes of prayers are given in Signed English and NOT ASL

Secondly there are many, many signs which are not universally recognized. (I am thinking specifically of Presbyterian - which I have never seen signed in the manor discribed. And alternate form of Christian given is "JESUS" + Person Marker. Again I have never seen Christian signed any other way but "CHRIST" + Person Marker.

But all-in-all the book is a wonderful resource to anyone ineresed in deaf minisitry.

33 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Religous Signing, April 6, 2000

By A Customer

Sounds Wonderful! I think everyone should have this book! It teaches you how to say basic chuch-related words and actual prayers! It also teaches you some words in Signed English, a form of signing where you sign each phrase word for word!) ( It's good to know a little bit of Signed English in addition to ASL.) Oh did I mention that there are signs in this book you can't get in other Signing Books? Try it!