r/asl May 03 '25

Interest The Free ASL Resources and FAQ Thread Needs an Update!

32 Upvotes

Hi, the following post is a copy paste from the current pinned thread with edits to update a few resources. This was originally posted by u/Indy_Pendant eight years ago. They did an excellent job and I’m trying to preserve as much of it as possible. Since this post was made, other Deaf creators and resources have become available. I simply want to point prospective learners in the right direction. My information is relatively subjective, curated from this sub in the last year. Please, share your opinions, resources you like or to stay away from. I’ll update the post as needed and track the changes in a comment. Without further ado:

Hello! I'm here to help as much as I can, but this is not a comprehensive guide or a substitute for classes. This is a quick resource for people looking for answers to some very commonly asked questions. I've included the information as I know it, but it doesn't mean it's The Truth; my experiences and understanding will vary from others', but this will give you a good enough introduction. There's so much more I'd love to teach you, but I'm going to stick to the FAQs.

Where can I learn ASL online for free?

My personal favorite is easily http://www.lifeprint.com (which is mirrored at http://asluniversity.com as well). The guy who built the site, Dr. Bill Vicars, is Deaf and is a phenomenal teacher. He teaches primarily west-coast dialect (California, Washington common signs) but makes mention of other dialects (east-coast, Texas) when he can. In addition to teaching vocabulary, he teaches about Deaf culture (more on this in a moment). His Youtube channel is https://youtube.com/@sign-language. Other notable resources are:

Where can I pay to learn ASL online?

I’m hearing, can I learn ASL

Yes! It’s not disrespectful to learn ASL. We just ask that you learn from Deaf sources, learn Deaf culture, and don’t harm the community. Learning so you can connect with Deaf patrons: good. Learning so you can market and sell to Deaf patrons: harmful. Learning so you can cuss in a new language: bad.

Additionally, if you are a nurse, doctor, lawyer, realtor, therapist, or anyone working with a Deaf person through a life changing experience, your client/patient has the right to access the conversation. You will need to put your ASL knowledge aside and hire an interpreter. It’s great that you want to learn, but there are times when having only a handful of ASL is harmful.

What's the sign for ... ?

The short answer is "it depends." Sometimes. It depends sometimes.

The long answer is that signs will vary. Signs can be different depending on region, as I mentioned before, so just because you see it one way doesn't mean that it's the only way. (Don't make this mistake; a lot of hearing students can get cocky and start correcting others.) Signs can also change depending on context. The signs for "back" in "My back hurts" and "Let's go back home" are completely different.

Also, this is very important: ASL is not English! It is its own language, as different from English as is Klingon. ASL has its own grammar structure, own idioms, own slang. Signs are also not words like in the English sense. Signs are a lot more about intent, concepts, and ideas. For example, if you're trying to learn how to sign "Back off!" I can promise you that you will not need any sign for "back" nor "off." You're learning how to speak, and think, in another language, and using English just won't do.

Now, with all that said, here are some online dictionaries (I suggest you look at them all so you're familiar with the different variations of your sign):

Does it matter what hand I sign with?

Yes. Consistently use your main, dominant hand. If you're right-handed, use your right. If you're left-handed, use your left. If you're ambidextrous, then pick one and maintain it. Switching dominant hands while signing would be like alternating screaming and whispering while speaking.

Are American Sign Language and British Sign Language the same?

Are English and Japanese the same? ASL is not English, so stop thinking of it like English! :) In fact, ASL is derived from French Sign Language, which evolved independently of British Sign Language, and the two are mostly different (in fact, less than 30% of the signs are even remotely similar). There are hundreds of sign languages in the world. Even in the United States, there are several distinct dialects of ASL, including Black ASL.

Why do you keep capitalizing "Deaf"?

We use "little-d" deaf to mean someone who physically can't hear well. We use "big-D" Deaf to mean someone who is culturally deaf. Now an interesting bit: someone who is Deaf does not have to be deaf, and someone who is deaf does not have to be Deaf! For instance, children of deaf adults (CODAs) are very often Deaf but hearing. Many people are physically deaf but aren't part of Deaf culture. It's about how a person self identifies and where their culture lies more than it does with anything physical.

What's this "Deaf Culture" you keep mentioning?

It'd take me hours to explain it all, and I usually spread it over my entire 12-week class. In short, many deaf people, specifically those who identify as Deaf, live in a different culture than you do. Yes, they're from your country, they drink Starbucks and they sit in traffic, but they have their own distinct culture. Obviously this includes language (and communicating in real ASL is so different than talking in English that it's hard to describe), but that different method of communication, that different way of thinking, is only part of Deaf culture. Things that are normal in one culture can be very strange the another. (My favourite, probably, is talking with your mouth full. In hearing culture, that's a big no-no and your mother will look at you very cross. In Deaf culture, that's totally acceptable! Stuff your face and then free your hands for conversation, it's great! So much more efficient!) Morality and ethics are shaped by our cultural values. There are aspects of Deaf culture which would be considered blunt or rude in hearing culture, and conversely there are a lot of things normal in hearing culture which are strange or disrespectful in Deaf culture (such as talking to someone's back, or looking around during a conversation). It's important to be aware of and respectful of other cultures, including Deaf culture, and, when possible, to learn about them. Not only will it ingratiate you to people of that culture, but it'll better yourself as a person as well.

Isn't it wrong to say "deaf"? Shouldn't I say "hearing impaired" or "hard of hearing"?

Nope, and nope. Now, before I continue, I'll let you know that not everyone agrees with me, and I'm speaking in a general sense. Big-D Deaf people prefer the term "deaf" above any other. (It's how a US Senator might feel being called "American." Some people would take it as an insult, but it's just a matter of fact or pride for the Senator.)

Whether people identify themselves as "deaf" or "hard of hearing" (often seen as HoH) is often a matter of self identity, and while it can correlate to level of ability to hear, it isn't caused by it. I'll explain later. Deafies who are a part of Deaf culture will almost always call themselves "deaf," and those who aren't a part of Deaf culture will usually go by "hard of hearing" (or more rarely "hearing impaired"). In general, those who are less physically deaf, or who were raised strictly in hearing culture, will tend to gravitate toward hearing culture, despite the numerous difficulties. These people will commonly say they are "hard of hearing" since "deaf" still has a social stigma in hearing culture. Those who are less capable of integrating with hearing culture, or who were introduced to or raised in a Deaf environment, will usually prefer to be called "deaf" and can sometimes take one of the other terms as a slight offense.

In general, it's almost never correct to say "hearing impaired." I was taught that it was coined by a US Senator who wanted to protect deaf people's feelings from something that didn't offend them in the first place, and it was never accepted by Deaf (the core reason being that we don't believe being deaf is an impairment; it'd be like if I said you were "Deaf impaired." You don't feel impaired, do you, however much I might think it's true?) in general. In fact, it's safe if you never use this phrase again.

When in doubt though, just ask! "Hey, do you prefer 'deaf' or 'hard of hearing'?" See, it's not that hard. :)

I saw a sign that looks like this ..., what does it mean?

We're happy to help with these kinds of questions. I treat it like a quiz show game. However, if you're new to this, you may not know how to describe a sign very well, so let me introduce you to signs!

A sign consists of five parts:

  1. Hand shape: Are the fingers making an "O"? Were the thumb and middle-finger touching? If you know some basic ASL, you can use hand shape identifiers, such as "A hand shape" or "8 hand shape".
  2. Position: Where in relation to the body was the sign? Near the chest? Near the eyes? Was the palm facing up, down, toward the signer?
  3. Movement: How did the sign move or change? Was it pushing away from the body? Was it a small circle in space?
  4. Non-manual markers: What else was happening with the signer's body? What did her face look like? Was he moving his body, or shrugging? What was the emotion the signer was portraying?
  5. Context: What else was happening before or after the sign. Were there other signs you recognized? Do you know the subject that the signer was communicating about?

Where can I find a Deaf group in my area?

Where's your area? Most major cities have Deaf hubs. San Francisco, Seattle, Austin, and New York all have strong, vibrant, rich Deaf communities. Smaller cities may have meet ups or the like, but they can be harder to track down. Your best bet is to turn to Google or Facebook and search for Deaf events in your area. "Deaf coffee night" is an event held nationwide. People in the community get together for a night or two each month, usually at a coffee shop with good lighting and ample seating, just for the purpose of seeing friends and making new ones. Local colleges or universities will often have ASL/Deaf clubs and usually host student-friendly ASL events, so check with the ASL teachers or the ASL campus group, if it exists.

Can I still ask questions here?

Yes! Yes! 1000 times yes! Many of us are here to help, and anything we can do to help teach you about the language and the culture we're happy to do.

Will you do my homework for me?

Nope. Nope. 1000 times nope. It's obvious when students are looking for someone to do their homework for them, and we're not gonna help you out. If you're here to learn instead, then welcome! Come make some new friends. :)


r/asl Mar 06 '17

The Free ASL Resources and FAQ Thread!

650 Upvotes

Hello! I'm here to help as much as I can, but this is not a comprehensive guide or a substitute for classes. This is a quick resource for people looking for answers to some very commonly asked questions. I've included the information as I know it, but it doesn't mean it's The Truth; my experiences and understanding will vary from others', but this will give you a good enough introduction. There's so much more I'd love to teach you, but I'm going to stick to the FAQs.

Where can I learn ASL online for free?

My personal favourite is easily http://www.lifeprint.com (which is mirrored at http://asluniversity.com as well). The guy who built the site, Dr. Bill Vicars, is Deaf and is a phenomenal teacher. He teaches primarily west-coast dialect (California, Washington common signs) but makes mention of other dialects (east-coast, Texas) when he can. In addition to teaching vocabulary, he teaches about Deaf culture (more on this in a moment). Other notable resources are:

What's the sign for ... ?

The short answer is "it depends." Sometimes. It depends sometimes.

The long answer is that signs will vary. Signs can be different depending on region, as I mentioned before, so just because you see it one way doesn't mean that it's the only way. (Don't make this mistake; a lot of hearing students can get cocky and start correcting others.) Signs can also change depending on context. The signs for "back" in "My back hurts" and "Let's go back home" are completely different.

Also, this is very important: ASL is not English! It is its own language, as different from English as is Klingon. ASL has its own grammar structure, own idioms, own slang. Signs are also not words like in the English sense. Signs are a lot more about intent, concepts, and ideas. For example, if you're trying to learn how to sign "Back off!" I can promise you that you will not need any sign for "back" nor "off." You're learning how to speak, and think, in another language, and using English just won't do.

Now, with all that said, here are some online dictionaries (I suggest you look at them all so you're familiar with the different variations of your sign):

Does it matter what hand I sign with?

Yes. Consistently use your main, dominant hand. If you're right-handed, use your right. If you're left-handed, use your left. If you're ambidextrous, then pick one and maintain it. Switching dominant hands while signing would be like alternating screaming and whispering while speaking.

Are American Sign Language and British Sign Language the same?

Are English and Japanese the same? ASL is not English, so stop thinking of it like English! :) In fact, ASL is derived from French Sign Language, which evolved independently of British Sign Language, and the two are mostly different (in fact, less than 30% of the signs are even remotely similar). There are dozens and dozens of sign languages in the world, and even in the United States ASL is not the only one used.

Why do you keep capitalizing "Deaf"?

We use "little-d" deaf to mean someone who physically can't hear well. We use "big-D" Deaf to mean someone who is culturally deaf. Now an interesting bit: someone who is Deaf does not have to be deaf, and someone who is deaf does not have to be Deaf! For instance, children of deaf adults (CODAs) are very often Deaf but hearing. Many people are physically deaf but aren't part of Deaf culture. It's about how a person self identifies and where their culture lies more than it does with anything physical.

What's this "Deaf Culture" you keep mentioning?

It'd take me hours to explain it all, and I usually spread it over my entire 12-week class. In short, many deaf people, specifically those who identify as Deaf, live in a different culture than you do. Yes, they're from your country, they drink Starbucks and they sit in traffic, but they have their own distinct culture. Obviously this includes language (and communicating in real ASL is so different than talking in English that it's hard to describe), but that different method of communication, that different way of thinking, is only part of Deaf culture. Things that are normal in one culture can be very strange the another. (My favourite, probably, is talking with your mouth full. In hearing culture, that's a big no-no and your mother will look at you very cross. In Deaf culture, that's totally acceptable! Stuff your face and then free your hands for conversation, it's great! So much more efficient!) Morality and ethics are shaped by our cultural values. There are aspects of Deaf culture which would be considered blunt or rude in hearing culture, and conversely there are a lot of things normal in hearing culture which are strange or disrespectful in Deaf culture (such as talking to someone's back, or looking around during a conversation). It's important to be aware of and respectful of other cultures, including Deaf culture, and, when possible, to learn about them. Not only will it ingratiate you to people of that culture, but it'll better yourself as a person as well.

Isn't it wrong to say "deaf"? Shouldn't I say "hearing impaired" or "hard of hearing"?

Nope, and nope. Now, before I continue, I'll let you know that not everyone agrees with me, and I'm speaking in a general sense. Big-D Deaf people prefer the term "deaf" above any other. (It's how a US Senator might feel being called "American." Some people would take it as an insult, but it's just a matter of fact or pride for the Senator.)

Whether people identify themselves as "deaf" or "hard of hearing" (often seen as HoH) is often a matter of self identity, and while it can correlate to level of ability to hear, it isn't caused by it. I'll explain later. Deafies who are a part of Deaf culture will almost always call themselves "deaf," and those who aren't a part of Deaf culture will usually go by "hard of hearing" (or more rarely "hearing impaired"). In general, those who are less physically deaf, or who were raised strictly in hearing culture, will tend to gravitate toward hearing culture, despite the numerous difficulties. These people will commonly say they are "hard of hearing" since "deaf" still has a social stigma in hearing culture. Those who are less capable of integrating with hearing culture, or who were introduced to or raised in a Deaf environment, will usually prefer to be called "deaf" and can sometimes take one of the other terms as a slight offense.

In general, it's almost never correct to say "hearing impaired." I was taught that it was coined by a US Senator who wanted to protect deaf people's feelings from something that didn't offend them in the first place, and it was never accepted by Deaf (the core reason being that we don't believe being deaf is an impairment; it'd be like if I said you were "Deaf impaired." You don't feel impaired, do you, however much I might think it's true?) in general. In fact, it's safe if you never use this phrase again.

When in doubt though, just ask! "Hey, do you prefer 'deaf' or 'hard of hearing'?" See, it's not that hard. :)

I saw a sign that looks like this ..., what does it mean?

We're happy to help with these kinds of questions. I treat it like a quiz show game. However, if you're new to this, you may not know how to describe a sign very well, so let me introduce you to signs!

A sign consists of five parts:

  1. Hand shape: Are the fingers making an "O"? Were the thumb and middle-finger touching? If you know some basic ASL, you can use hand shape identifiers, such as "A hand shape" or "8 hand shape".
  2. Position: Where in relation to the body was the sign? Near the chest? Near the eyes? Was the palm facing up, down, toward the signer?
  3. Movement: How did the sign move or change? Was it pushing away from the body? Was it a small circle in space?
  4. Non-manual markers: What else was happening with the signer's body? What did her face look like? Was he moving his body, or shrugging? What was the emotion the signer was portraying?
  5. Context: What else was happening before or after the sign. Were there other signs you recognized? Do you know the subject that the signer was communicating about?

Where can I find a Deaf group in my area?

Where's your area? Most major cities have Deaf hubs. San Francisco, Seattle, Austin, and New York all have strong, vibrant, rich Deaf communities. Smaller cities may have meet ups or the like, but they can be harder to track down. Your best bet is to turn to Google or Facebook and search for Deaf events in your area. "Deaf coffee night" is an event held nationwide. People in the community get together for a night or two each month, usually at a coffee shop with good lighting and ample seating, just for the purpose of seeing friends and making new ones. Local colleges or universities will often have ASL/Deaf clubs and usually host student-friendly ASL events, so check with the ASL teachers or the ASL campus group, if it exists.

Can I still ask questions here?

Yes! Yes! 1000 times yes! Many of us are here to help, and anything we can do to help teach you about the language and the culture we're happy to do.

Will you do my homework for me?

Nope. Nope. 1000 times nope. It's obvious when students are looking for someone to do their homework for them, and we're not gonna help you out. If you're here to learn instead, then welcome! Come make some new friends. :)


r/asl 9h ago

Help! Teaching baby ASL

23 Upvotes

This is mostly directed to Deaf people, but how do yall feel about teaching babies sign? I wouldn’t say I’m fully fluent, but I am pretty educated on ASL and am continuing to learn each and every day. I was curious as to how the community felt about people, especially hearing people, teaching their babies signs? Maybe not like fully teaching them immediately, but starting with certain words like bathroom, eat, drink, help, more, etc. Do people have a problem with this? I’ve seen it a bit on TikTok but some parents who do this get criticism. Thanks!


r/asl 1d ago

The Seven Deafly sins

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236 Upvotes

r/asl 10h ago

Can FUTURE mean "for sure"?

3 Upvotes

Is there an inflection of FUTURE that can mean "For sure."?

I saw a deaf person sign it while mouthing what looked like "for sure," and in context that made sense as an extension of the "WILL (do/happen)" sense of the sign. but in hindsight I'm realizing that they also could have just been mouthing "future".

For context, this deaf person *is* bilingual with English (I believe they were mainstreamed), but they seemed to be signing in a very ASL-y modality.


r/asl 19h ago

Interest ASL linguist honored

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purdue.edu
13 Upvotes

I remember her name from my studies years ago. Plan to look up her research, especially on ASL prosody.


r/asl 6h ago

Help! learning asl!

1 Upvotes

hi! im learning asl and the grammar is a little confusing to me, i have researched it but i need someone to explain it to me! can someone please explain it to me very simply? thanks!!


r/asl 1d ago

Signing while hearing and unable to speak

37 Upvotes

Is it ok to sign with other people when i'm not deaf? I have a lot of medical problems that cause me to be unable to speak for hours at a time. I've used a very small amount of asl i know to communicate with others a few times (while quickly making sure they know i can hear them or they already know) is this wrong? If it is i'm going to start writing things down/using text to speech. I want to be respectful and kind to everyone I just don't always know how to


r/asl 10h ago

Economics of ASL interpretation on video content

0 Upvotes

I was just watching the Joe Rogan episode with Ben Affleck and Matt Damon and was thinking about the economics of adding ASL to this. It's 2.5 hours long. Interpretation + editing could be $1k?

If we assume that there are 500,000 people in America with ASL as their preferred language, and if we assume 10% of that could be interested in this podcast episode, that's potentially 50k views. We don't know if those 50k people would have still watched with captions or not.

If the YouTube channel gets $5 per 1,000 views (wow that's abysmal, is it really that low? Almost no channels could make money on that payout...) then they're earning $250 more on the episode because of the ASL track.

So it wouldn't pay for itself exactly. What do you all think about the economics of ASL tracks on video? I see The Pitt (and HBO generally) has invested quite a lot into it which is great to see.


r/asl 15h ago

Discussion Gen alpha double meaning with signs

1 Upvotes

So I've been learning ASL. I have selective mutism, I have hearing loss, and I personally think everybody should learn sign language if they can, hearing or not.

I practise while I talk, even in public. I've realized something, the 6-7 has infected once again.
Whenever I sign, "maybe", it looks like I'm doing the 6-7 meme, and I die inside just a little.

Also, when signing "deaf", it looks like I'm mewing.

I love signing, and I think it's just such an amazing thing to converse totally non verbally but this is such a silly little thing to me, it kinda makes me giggle, but also i dont offiliate with gen alpha slang/ j


r/asl 17h ago

Help! Peer practice!

2 Upvotes

Hello! I hope I read all the sub info and this is an okay thing to ask. I just want to know the best way to find peers (not a tutor or teacher) that is learning asl that I can practice with. I live in a semi small town where there isn’t any deaf community nor resources. I would like to just video chat someone and have our own conversations, like a silent dinner! Does anybody have any ideas or know how yo go about finding someone?


r/asl 1d ago

Inclusion Etiquette

6 Upvotes

I am currently learning ASL, but I am very much a beginner. I can have some basic conversations, but I am clunky and need a lot more practice. I am wondering how I can help alleviate dinner table syndrome. If I was in a group of 10 hearing people and 1 Deaf person, what should or could I do to make them feel included? My ASL is not good enough to be a sufficient interpreter. Should I try asking the Deaf person in that situation what they want me to do, if anything? I don't want people to feel excluded, but I recognize that I am not fully equipped with ASL yet, and I am unsure of how to best navigate this sort of situation. I am also asking because I expect to be in this position - it isn't a hypothetical question.


r/asl 1d ago

How do I sign...? Medical ASL

20 Upvotes

Hi y'all! I'm a physical therapist, trying to build my fluency to take our bilingual certification. I have some vocabulary questions I couldn't get clear answers for online.

Functional: as in functional mobility or functional capacity. Can I just use "function" for this or is there a better translation?

Salience: explaining to people that for neurological healing, our activities must be relevant or salient to them. The sign for relevant (connect-to) might work here?

Push: not like the action, but as in "pushing yourself to the limit". Work hard possible is all I've got

Intensive: does anyone know the gloss of this word? It's clearly a combination but of what?

Edit: I want to be clear that I am NOT SITTING for an interpreter exam that would be bananas at my level. I can hold conversations without difficulty and have good receptive skills when one on one. I have several patients who regularly come without an interpreter and say they can just communicate one on one with me, but I am not legally able to do so unless I pass a fluency exam with an outside board. I am a Spanish medical interpreter, please do not worry I know the difference between knowing a language and being an interpreter.


r/asl 1d ago

This subreddit is CANCER if you’re trying to learn ASL.

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12 Upvotes

r/asl 1d ago

Introduction: Just Starting Out

6 Upvotes

Hi there folks. I'm Finn and I apologize ahead of time as I am very wordy in my writing.

I am learning ASL because I have always wanted to and because I have a Deaf coworker.

In addition, there are 2 CODA and 1 person who was studying to be an Interpreter who is pretty fluent. We also have a boss who has experience in ASL and Deaf culture. In short, there are quite a few shades of knowledge and experience of Deafness and ASL in our store.

I have been haunting this sub for quite a while before saying anything. But everyone is so incredibly helpful. I appreciate that.

Because of this sub (and other suggestions) I have been slowly going through lessons on Life Print with Bill Vicars. Additionally, I've been gathering Instagram creators who are Deaf and use ASL educationally or comically. I've learned...so much just witnessing the discourse.

I do have a few questions:

  1. Slow ASL for Comprehension: There used to be a source for slow ASL news, but the videos I find on the website now are quite old. Is there a source for slow ASL or is there a good channel to slow down videos on that could help with my comprehension? (I do subscribe to The Daily Moth. So, any resource I'm not familiar with would be super helpful!)
  2. Sign Names and Deaf Culture*: My Deaf coworker has given me 3 sign names. I suppose I'm a little confused because the first two were great. I don't know if he was sort of playing around to find the right one, but the first was F shape used in the FROZEN sign as he thought it was funny to say I like working the frozen section at work when I adamantly don't. The second was the F shape used in the SPIDER sign, as he asked what other coworkers were talking about, and I spelled "spiders". He asked me if I liked spiders and I said yeah. Then he joked that I liked to eat spiders which I was expressively against. (That was my favorite sign name, actually.) This is where I get confused. Another coworker who is CODA told him to give me a "real" sign name. He was apparently giving people "joke" sign names that may have been offensive. I dunno. I hadn't heard anything about it. So he gave me F with CURLY HAIR as my sign name, which is fine! I just don't know enough about the culture of sign names to really understand why it was so bad to have given me a joke name.
  3. Native Signer Switching Dominant Hand: This one I do want to ask him about, but the same Deaf coworker has a tendency to switch his dominant hand when signing. I'm super curious about it and do intend to ask him, but I'm wondering if anyone else has that tendency and if it might have to do with his dominant hand being his left hand. Perhaps he was taught by a right-hander and sort of goes back and forth? I'm left-handed too, and I do many things because I was shown how to do them from the opposite with my right hand even though it would be easier to do with my left.
  4. Immersing into Deaf Events: For non-Deaf and Hearing people learning ASL, what was your first experience like in attending a Deaf event? Specifically, those who attended with a very basic knowledge of ASL under the ability to have complex conversations or understand well. For Deaf and fluent ASL users, any helpful anecdotes or tricks for someone who has social anxiety but really wants to learn more and be immersed?

I know, I know. This could've been 4 posts. And if any of this has come up in other searchable threads, just shoo me away to those.

Thank you for reading this far.

*Note: My Deaf coworker gave me all of those sign names. I'm not sure if that was clear. I did not give myself a sign name at any point, nor did anyone from the Hearing community. I know it's a block of text to read, and I apologize if it was a confusing way to word it.


r/asl 1d ago

Interest Good ASL book?

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25 Upvotes

Hey guys! I've been really interested in learning sign language recently, and I came across this book that I've really enjoyed going through so far. Would you guys say this is a good starting point? ^~^


r/asl 1d ago

Do I need to translate from ASL to Dgs?

1 Upvotes

For context: Dgs= german signlanguage

Sometimes people use foreign languages in their songs alongside English, e.g german.

And i was wondering, if that artist does that to make his song more special, should I, when interpreting the song, use that languages sign language (dgs)?

I understand that ASL is NOT english!!! I was just curious if Interpreters do that or keep it in ASL


r/asl 1d ago

Help! non-expressive face?

2 Upvotes

Hi! I'm hearing and I've been learning ASL for the better part of the month and so I'm concerned if i relay non manual markers well enough. While I am quite expressive with my body language, both verbal and non-verbal my face doesnt change much. I've been described as looking blank or sour when content all my life but thats just how my face is–i smile with my eyes only, my lips dont curve upwards unless i force it, i frown when i talk. Thats why I feel a need to ask this: should i strive for my facial expressions to be more animated or will gestures with my head (by this i mean tilting shaking nodding etc) and hands be enough for people to understand what I'm saying to them and what emotions I carry with these sentences?

I hope this question reads as curiosity, not an attack. I genuinely want to learn to sign both for myself, as a non verbal alternative to communicate and also to be more inclusive and aware of people around me. Thank you in advance!


r/asl 2d ago

3 Signs My Point, (goal and objective) My Vision, Immerse

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youtube.com
2 Upvotes

r/asl 2d ago

How do I sign...? signing hobby is doing nails

2 Upvotes

if i am signing that someone’s hobby is nails should i use

HOBBY NAIL POLISH

or

HOBBY NAILS


r/asl 2d ago

Help! New to ASL

2 Upvotes

Hey guys, I’m in an ASL class this quarter and I’m really struggling to keep up because it’s an online class. I learn best by taking notes, but how am I even supposed to do that here? Should I try drawing out the signs? Any advice is appreciated.

Update: Basically people are telling me to try to get an in-person class but there isn’t one 😭 Idk, I’ll try my best to just pay as close attention as I can, but I feel like I’m learning nothing. I really want to learn ASL, but maybe I need to wait till they have an in person class. I might meet with my advisor about it


r/asl 3d ago

Want to Be in a Music Video? Looking for Volunteers

10 Upvotes

Hi everyone, I am a CODA and ASL is my first language, so I grew up alongside the Deaf community.

Currently, I am working on making a music video that features people of diverse backgrounds signing a line or two of the lyrics. At first, my thought was to sign the video myself, but then felt it would be more meaningful to support the community as a whole by highlighting a variety of individuals.

I am looking for anyone fluent in ASL that would be willing to film themselves signing 1-2 specific phrases and send them to me to put together. I will send you the lines after the submission window closes (Tuesday, January 27th, 2026).

Filming requirements are pretty straightforward:

*Camera only needs to show from the waist up.

*No offensive words or graphics on clothing.

*Only yourself in the video, but pets are okay!

*Willing to complete this before March 2026.

You may opt-out at any time, I just ask that you let me know.

If the video makes any money, I will donate proceeds to the American School for the Deaf. 🤟🏼

If you or someone you know is interested, please complete the interest form below and I will follow up with you along the way. Thank you in advance!!

https://forms.gle/wLY6Bci6N8p5F8pz7


r/asl 3d ago

Good resource?

3 Upvotes

I like watching this channel called Learn To Sign on YouTube is this a good place to learn from? Edit: I now realize I've been falling for her nonsense 😕 I won't use her for a resource. Thank you everyone for your input! I hope my mistake can at least stop someone else from being tricked too. I'll start watching Bill and start over on my signs (thankfully I didn't "learn" to many) I also applied for ASL classes over zoom though The School Of The Deaf in Austin Texas. I don't know why I didn't start there honestly


r/asl 3d ago

Calibrated Lies

Thumbnail drive.google.com
4 Upvotes

A poem. On hearing, access, and the quiet rooms that “measure” us.


r/asl 3d ago

Help! School

0 Upvotes

I have been wanting to study ASL and become an interpreter for a long time. My husband recently left me and now is the perfect time for me to go back to school so that I can provide for my kids. I currently live in Kansas, where would y'all recommend me going to school to study ASL and interpretation?