ASL: or, What the hell is she saying?

[mousme]

My ASL class continues to be both interesting and really frustrating. Some of the signs are reasonably intuitive, which is good, but for the most part it's a case of "you just have to know it," which would be great if there were some sort of vocabulary list I could study. Unfortunately, the course doesn't appear structured that way: it's heavily memory-based, which means yours truly with her brain and short-term memory like cottage cheese is SOL.

I have come to a tentative agreement with a couple of the girls in my class to get together (perhaps this coming Sunday) and practice our signing. After today's practice quiz I have decided that I definitely need to spend more time doing the fingerspelling drills on aslpro.com so that I can get used to seeing the signs from the other side. I'm going to try to spend at least 15 minutes a day doing drills, so that I won't be caught unprepared. Today it took me several tried before I got the hang of it. If it had been a real quiz, I only would have had 70%.

I am having trouble with the lack of formal structure to the classes. I can appreciate how the teacher is working, but the lack of reference material is really stressful to me. I think that once I get the basics mastered, I may develop more confidence. Right now my memory is my own worst enemy.

The other disadvantage for me is that the whole class is silent, and uses gestures only to communicate. This is fun and challenging, but I am never entirely sure if I've understood the context of the sign exactly. I'm constantly wondering if the sign she's showing us is a noun or a verb, because contextually it might be both (Is she saying "review" or "to review?"). Hopefully this too will resolve itself in time.

Comments

[fearsclave.livejournal.com]

Aside from the obvious utility of knowing a silent language that few Muggles can understand, what motivated your decision to learn ASL?

[mousme.livejournal.com]

I've actually wanted to learn it since I was in my early teens when I saw two people speaking ASL on the metro. It seemed like a fascinating language. You know me and language: I can't resist. ;)

[fearsclave.livejournal.com]

So it's not just adding dots to the charsheet ;)?

[mousme.livejournal.com]

Sure it is, but I'm min-maxing and using synergetic bonuses. ;)

[fearsclave.livejournal.com]

Hee!

So we still on for this weekend?

[mousme.livejournal.com]

Sadly no. My ducks did not quite line up for the whole lesson-taking thing, unfortunately. It will have to be a raincheck.

[fearsclave.livejournal.com]

Can you still make it out Sunday? Scott and Ceri are coming out for dinner on the basis that you'd be around...

[mousme.livejournal.com]

Oh!

Uh... I can still get tickets and come out for a visit, if you and Carolyn are up for it. I didn't want to impose, since the original arrangement was for me not to be there most of the time. :)

[fearsclave.livejournal.com]

Well, it'd be lovely to see you; maybe you could hitch a ride out with them?

[mousme.livejournal.com]

I will do some emailing and advise. :)

[curtana.livejournal.com]

My (admittedly limited) understanding of ASL is that the same sign is often used for related verbs and nouns (e.g. paint/paint, eat/food, fly/plane) - the difference comes either from context or because the sign is repeated if it's a noun. Maybe that's the case with 'review', I don't know.

[mousme.livejournal.com]

That would make sense. I'm just never quite certain about it. It's only been three classes, though, so maybe it'll all clear up in my head soon. :)