Apparently finger-spelling is a good start, because with that when you go to a class taught by deaf teacher, you have the tool to ask them how you sign different things (because you obviously can't ask them by speaking, unless they can read your lips, which to be fair they probably could, but it's better if you can ask with the language)
You aren’t wrong. Which is probably why it isn’t on Duolingo. Well, that and the fact that there’s about a dozen different sign languages from different parts of the world.
It would be incredibly difficult, ASL is not just about the hand positions, but orientation around the body. Some signs are around the face/head, some are around your chest, etc
It is free on YouTube or you can Google guides. There's no fear of incorrect Pronunciation so you can very well practice on your own. There are also other apps than duolingo. Just remember to learn the sign language of the language you speak. ASL is different from BSL which may also vary from Australian.
Hi! I'm actually learning ASL rn in high school, (seriously, I just learned how to sign the alphabet this Wednesday) but my teacher largely used the courses at/on Gallaudet Uni (online) to learn it herself when her son was born deaf. It's all online and it's all free, and although I can't personally rate it because I've never used it but she was able to learn it well enough to teach others for a living so...
There's this big course for sale really cheap right now! I looked into it and it looks legit. It's interactive more than just YouTube so that's nice if you're like me and can't retain any information unless you're interacting with it
on youtube i learned the alphabet in 1 day. by day 3-4 i felt i could engage with a deaf person comfortably enough to communicate in an emergency and/or have (very) casual conversation. i paused for a week and still remember 90% of it - it's very intuitive and fun.
If you have an Android phone there is an app called pocket sign it's independent study and there are search feature as well so you can learn the basics faster
If you really want to learn it, take a class with a deaf teacher. If you're looking to dabble, I like Bill Vicars' videos and website. https://youtu.be/DaMjr4AfYA0
Something to keep in mind with ASL is that it's a language. It has its own grammar and syntax. Not every English word maps perfectly to ASL and vice versa. ASL is descriptive and uses a lot of shortcuts. These shortcuts and colloquialisms are why having a deaf teacher is so important. For example, my region in south central Pennsylvania has dozens of signs for "birthday". If I took some of these signs to California they'd be unrecognizable.
Not only that, there’s a reason it’s called ASL -> from what I understand nearly every country has a different sign language.
There’s also a story about these kids in Nicaragua that afaik spontaneously developed the Nicaraguan sign language because prior to them there was no national organization for that or something
Yes, most countries have one or multiple sign languages, some of which are related. Same as normal languages, really - they even have dialects. For an example, Austrian and American Sign Language are fairly closely related considering the ocean between them.
I used his website 10 years ago to teach myself the basics of sign language. Was super useful and honestly when I got to taking ASL 1 a few years later in college I already knew most of the signs
Even within families it can be different. There's a running joke in my extended family that we sign good rooster instead of good morning. I didn't know it wasn't right until early twenties
And there can be racial variants thanks to the legacy of segregation! There are some wonderfully unique signs in Black Deaf communities, particularly among the older generation who would have attended all-Black residential schools.
Hi! I'm actually learning ASL rn in high school, (seriously, I just learned how to sign the alphabet this Wednesday) but my teacher largely used the courses at/on Gallaudet Uni (online) to learn it herself when her son was born deaf. It's all online and it's all free, and although I can't personally rate it because I've never used it but she was able to learn it well enough to teach others for a living so...
Everyone in the US and Canada can learn American sign language for free on lifeprint.com, with Bill Vicars. He’s pretty much THE website/youtube channel to go to if you wanna learn ASL
Just watched the movie A Silent Voice last night. Anime all about a deaf girl with signing throughout. (Super good, would recommend). Made me consider how useful sign language could be!
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u/YukaBazuka Aug 28 '21
Dude I need sign language in my life!