The American Sign Language Phrase Book (Paperback)

by Lou Fant (Author), Betty G. Miller (Illustrator) "American Sign Language, commonly abbreviated to ASL and occasionally known as Ameslan, is the sign language most deaf people use when they are communicating among..." (more)
Key Phrases: deaf people, New York, American Sign Language

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
The American Sign Language Phrase Book functions as both an instant reference tool and a long-term study guide for those interested in understanding and utilizing ASL.

About the Author

Lou Fant (1931-2001) was heralded as a leading expert in the ASL field and considered the ambassador between two worlds. He was a teacher, interpreter, consultant, sign language coach, and actor. His accomplishments included cofounding the National Theatre of the Deaf in 1967; creating the sign language for the film “Clan of the Cave Bear;” being the sign language coach in “Children of a Lesser God;” coaching such actors as Diane Keaton and Mare Winningham; appearing in scores of movies, plays, TV shows; and hosting the Emmy Award-winning TV program "Off Hand."

Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill; 1 edition (September 1, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0809235005
• ISBN-13: 978-0809235001
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (48 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #144,179 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

64 of 64 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars really helpful for the ASL student, January 11, 2005

By	Lauraloo Mattox "tumble3" (Atlanta, Ga USA) - See all my reviews

I love this book! If you are trying to learn ASL, you will probably learn a lot from this book. It is divided into chapters by subject, like "Health" "Travel" and "Animals and Colors." So, you are able to build your vocabulary as you are learning basic grammar.

ASL syntax is quite different from English, so I have found it very helpful to use this book. All of the phrases and sentences are shown in ASL, so you are able to learn how to piece your signs together.

Also, the drawings are great - the character who models the signs looks very amiable.

I'm just a beginner in ASL, mostly I know vocabulary. I have just begun to try to grasp the grammar, and this book has been a big help. I highly recommend it!

41 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good but not the best!, November 26, 2001

By A Customer

This book is a good resource for learning ASL signs. While it does do a good job introducing beginners to ASL phrases and also displays the difference between ASL and Signed Exact English (often mistaken for ASL), it does not explain the grammar rules of ASL. The point being that, after one has learned the signs in the book, one has no way of knowing how to form other phrases on their own. Instead of teaching the method, this book teaches memorization. This is okay sometimes but for those who REALLY want to learn the language and become fluent, it is not enough. To learn ASL grammar, I would recommend "American Sign Language: A Teacher's Resource Text on Grammar and Culture" by Baker-Shenk and Cokely. All in all, this book is pretty good and is much better than many other resources out there, it's just not enough.

45 of 46 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A very good place to start, September 15, 2003

By	James Jones (Clive, IA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book is a very good starting point for learning ASL, because it emphasizes that ASL is NOT English. The introductory discussion of ASL points it out repeatedly, and the organization as a phrase book rather than a dictionary drives the point home. I wish I'd had this book from the beginning.

(Besides, I always grin when I see the illustrations, because they look to me like Colin Machrie of _Whose Line is it Anyway?_ fame.)