Anybody here speak American Sign Language?

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Southlake
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2:24p, 1/7/25
I decided to learn ASL a month ago. Thought it would be good to not only learn to communicate with the Deaf but it would also be a learning challenge.

Pretty much have the finger spelling down. And practice with a couple Apps.

What's next? Any recommendations on learning ASL?

Thanks.
"Real skill comes without effort" - Mu Bai
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File5
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2:51p, 1/7/25
AG
I hear pronunciation is key!
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Anchorhold
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2:54p, 1/7/25
It's important to build a strong vocabulary of things you will remember. Start with dirty words then let those grow into phrases and then sentences.
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Decay
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2:59p, 1/7/25
AG
Honest answer is to look into instructors. They will be able to steer you better than self guided.

Also I don't know if you have any experience with the deaf community but they can be a little... Uh gatekeep-ey? Not exactly hostile, usually, but it can feel kinda like you're looked down on for not knowing their holy signs or something. I dabbled in highschool and was turned off by it, although I was just a kid so probably not the most patient or understanding either.
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BaitShack
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3:03p, 1/7/25
AG
A while back I asked this question to a friend who signs as a job. She said that the best way to learn, is to hang around with deaf people.
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UnderoosAg
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3:13p, 1/7/25
AG
My aunt was a special ed instructor who worked with the deaf so my cousins grew up knowing sign language. It was handy for them to communicate across the room at a crowded birthday party without yelling. Oldest cousin was a firefighter and on an accident call one night one of the drivers about started crying when my cousin was able to sign with him versus awkward shrugging or trying Spanish.

My aunt pointed out in some cases you have hearing impaired, but not fully deaf, or really good lip readers, and to also focus on enunciating words while signing.

Oh, and uh...



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Ragnar Danneskjoldd
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3:15p, 1/7/25
AG
Quote:
Also I don't know if you have any experience with the deaf community but they can be a little... Uh gatekeep-ey?
i think we can all agree deaf people are THE WORST


i kid, i kid.
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AgTrip
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4:01p, 1/7/25
I learned some sign language watching Major Payne.

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Decay
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In reply to Ragnar Danneskjoldd • 4:04p, 1/7/25
AG
Ragnar Danneskjoldd said:
Quote:
Also I don't know if you have any experience with the deaf community but they can be a little... Uh gatekeep-ey?
i think we can all agree deaf people are THE WORST


i kid, i kid.

I mean honestly it's got to be real tough going through life when people are basically treating you like you're stupid because you can't understand what they're saying? So I don't think it's unjustified at all for them to have some resentment over people who don't converse fluently in ASL...

But on the flip side I was just trying to learn and they were kind of rude so f em
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jetch17
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4:04p, 1/7/25
AG
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BaitShack
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4:10p, 1/7/25
AG
I learned "Everything will be allright" from this.

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Martin Q. Blank
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4:32p, 1/7/25
Rosetta Stone is great for learning a new language. You can listen to it in the car.
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Claude!
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5:50p, 1/7/25
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Sea Speed
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5:58p, 1/7/25
AG
My kids take it at school and really like it. Kind of caught me off guard they teach it there.
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FatZilla
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7:11p, 1/7/25
AG
I can speak a two word sentence using 1 finger motion and that's about it.
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maroon barchetta
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9:13p, 1/7/25
Edward Snowden would recommend it
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Ginormus Ag
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9:21p, 1/7/25
AG
Take your right hand and make the devil sign or horns up. Place it on top of your left elbow and put your left arm under your right. With your left hand, flick your fingers out like you are flicking water off of them.

That is a universal response to everything.
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Lex
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9:25p, 1/7/25
I had a boyfriend in HS who was going deaf so he learned sign language. He called me his "pretty bird" and that's all I can remember other than finger spelling. But what I do know
I taught my friends so we will finger spell across rooms to communicate. It's pretty nifty.
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EastSideAg2002
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9:36p, 1/7/25
gabehcoud
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9:36p, 1/7/25
Why? They can lip read so they understand what I'm telling them. I don't care what they have to say. At least that's what cru used to tell me.
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EastSideAg2002
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9:39p, 1/7/25
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Southlake
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In reply to Ginormus Ag • 10:57p, 1/7/25
Ginormus Ag said:
Take your right hand and make the devil sign or horns up. Place it on top of your left elbow and put your left arm under your right. With your left hand, flick your fingers out like you are flicking water off of them.

That is a universal response to everything.
I call BS on this…
"Real skill comes without effort" - Mu Bai
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IIIHorn
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In reply to Southlake • 3:15p, 1/8/25
Southlake said:
I decided to learn ASL a month ago. Thought it would be good to not only learn to communicate with the Deaf but it would also be a learning challenge.

Pretty much have the finger spelling down. And practice with a couple Apps.

What's next? Any recommendations on learning ASL?

Thanks.
Learn short hand for brevity.
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swimmerbabe11
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In reply to UnderoosAg • 10:58a, 1/9/25
Quote:
It was handy for them to communicate across the room at a crowded birthday party without yelling

This is an underrated skill
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Slicer97
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In reply to Southlake • 11:03a, 1/9/25
AG
Speak?
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Tray Giddens Revenge
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In reply to Southlake • 8:27p, 1/10/25
How do you speak sign language?
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Southlake
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8:18p, 1/11/25
ASL people speak with their hands
"Real skill comes without effort" - Mu Bai
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DTuba
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7:43a, 1/12/25
Former ASL educator here and yes I'm Deaf. (Working on career change to Engineering currently)

https://lifeprint.com/

I've met three people that were fluent and in conversations with them, they all self-taught themselves with this webpage.

Learn phrases, not individual words. Go mingle with the Deaf and actually use the language. This is the most efficient way to learn.

Few things to remember:
- You always know a little more than you think. Go for it and sign what you think it is. You're learning so the worst thing you can do is be wrong.
- Try to gesture things you don't understand, fingerspell the words you don't know and ask how to sign them. (Going back to learn phrases "SIGN WHAT" is a good one!)
- Have fun!!
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DTuba
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In reply to Sea Speed • 7:44a, 1/12/25
If they're a good educator, ASL can be a really underrated way to provide confidence and perspective to kids in high school. Loved seeing kids dive into the language and grow to be more confident!
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DTuba
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In reply to Decay • 7:49a, 1/12/25
Yes, there are absolute *****s in the Deaf community. They sometimes will even eat their own with comments of "not being Deaf enough" and going after hearing ASL teachers claiming that they stole Deaf jobs. Fortunately they are in the minority (at least in my experience).

For most Deaf it actually makes their day when someone remotely attempts at a legitimate use of sign language. I can speak from experience that it takes a lot less effort mentally when someone signs to me versus speaks. That's coming from a Deaf person that most don't realize even has a severe-profound hearing loss.

Course from my perspective as being a former educator, I get really excited when I see anyone try to learn and use sign language. I will take time out of my day to encourage it!!
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Decay
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In reply to DTuba • 3:05p, 1/12/25
AG
DTuba said:
Yes, there are absolute *****s in the Deaf community. They sometimes will even eat their own with comments of "not being Deaf enough" and going after hearing ASL teachers claiming that they stole Deaf jobs. Fortunately they are in the minority (at least in my experience).

For most Deaf it actually makes their day when someone remotely attempts at a legitimate use of sign language. I can speak from experience that it takes a lot less effort mentally when someone signs to me versus speaks. That's coming from a Deaf person that most don't realize even has a severe-profound hearing loss.

Course from my perspective as being a former educator, I get really excited when I see anyone try to learn and use sign language. I will take time out of my day to encourage it!!

That's good to hear... Uh, no pun intended. We're trying to set up some ASL courses up at work so I might be giving it another shot.
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DTuba
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In reply to Decay • 5:22p, 1/12/25
Do it!!
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swimmerbabe11
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In reply to DTuba • 10:36a, 1/13/25
so..your username... do you play tuba?
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Southlake
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5:13p, 1/13/25
DTuba - Gracias.
"Real skill comes without effort" - Mu Bai
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