ASL Sentence Structure
Time/Tense
The time frame
you’re talking
About
(We’ll do this
when you learn
time)
Topic
Who or what
you’re really
talking about
or
Comment
or Question
What you want
to say or know
about the topic
Statements
How?
1 – Eyebrows up for topic
2 – Eyebrows neutral for statement
3 – Lean forward slightly
Examples:
English = I don’t know German.
Topic?
German
What about it?
I don’t know it
ASL = German I don’t know
English = I forgot your name.
Your name
Topic?
What about it?
I forgot it
ASL = Your name I forgot
Questions
WH Questions that use: Who, why, where, when, which, (how)
How? 1 – Eyebrows up for topic
2 – Eyebrows down for question word
3 – Hold the last sign (usually the question word)
4 – Lean forward slightly
Examples:
English = Where is my paper?
Topic?
My paper
What do you want to know?
Where is it?
ASL = My paper where?
English = Who is that man?
Topic?
That man
What do you want to know?
ASL = That man who?
Who is he?
Questions
Yes/No
Questions wherein the answer is either yes or no
How?
1 – Eyebrows up for topic
2 – Eyebrows up for question word
3 – Hold the last sign (usually “you,” sometimes the squiggly question)
4 – Lean forward slightly
Examples:
English = Are you a girl?
Topic?
You
What do you want to know?
ASL = You girl you?
A girl?
English = Do you think ASL is fun?
Topic?
ASL
What do you want to know?
Is it fun?
ASL = ASL you think fun you?
Rhetorical -
A question the signer intends to answer him/herself. ASL usually uses
these for emphasis or in place of the word “because.”
For example: I study why? I want good grades.
How?
1 – Eyebrows up for “question”
2 – Eyebrows neutral for “answer”
3 – Lean forward slightly
Examples:
English = My last name is Anderson
“Question?”
My last name
“Answer?”
It’s Anderson
ASL = My last name what? Anderson
English = My dog’s name is Ella.
“Question?” My dog’s name what?
“Answer?”
Ella
ASL = My dog name what? Ella
Parameters of ASL
1
Location
- Where the sign is made
2
Movement
- How the sign moves
3
Palm Orientation
- The direction the hand faces
4
Handshape
- Shape of the hand
1-Handed Signs
1
2-Handed Symmetrical
Signs
2
2-Handed Asymmetrical
Signs
3
Signer’s Perspective
-The Signer signs just as he/she sees things.
This may mean the observer may have to
mentally switch direction.
- Think “signer’s right = my right”
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Tic-Tac-Toe!
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9