How Do You Translate English Into American Sign Language?
Most people think that using American Sign Language (ASL) is simply a matter of using a sign for each word, but it’s not. ASL is a different language, and it has its own rules. Understanding them can give you a real edge when using sign language. Understand that using American Sign Language is not a matter of taking what you would say in English and matching a sign to each word. What is important is the meaning, not the actual words. For example, figures of speech are not usually “translated” word for word; the meaning behind them is portrayed with sign language. You wouldn’t sign “He will hit the roof,” you would sign “He” “future” “angry.” Simplify. ASL doesn’t usually use many words that are used in speech. Words such as “the,” “an,” “a,” “it,” “is,” and “am” are often left out of a signed sentence. This is not an insult to ASL users, but if you were to speak every sign as a person signed it, many sentences would sound like “baby talk.” In ASL, “I am going to the store” becomes “I g
