Product Description

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #75078 in Books
• Published on: 1998-06-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 408 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9781563680434
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
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From Library Journal
This reference complements other American Sign Language (ASL) dictionaries by organizing signs by handshape rather than alphabetically by English word order. In so doing, it acts best as a recognition tool for the ASL learner, leading the user quickly to specific signs without having first to refer to an English-equivalent word. Multiple meanings of a single sign also allow deaf people to increase their English vocabulary. Like other ASL dictionaries, introductory material includes a brief synopsis of the history of sign language, the meaning and importance of the five parameters of a sign (handshape, orientation, location, movement, and nonmanual signals), grammatical rules, sign language variations (dialects), and finger-spelling principles. Tennant, a former mathematics instructor, and Gluszak Brown, a certified ASL interpreter, have provided a unique organization in their dictionary. But readers should note that a handshape is not a sign itself but rather a characteristic of a particular sign. Each individual sign presented in this dictionary is illustrated, paired with English-equivalent meaning(s), and described in terms of the five parameters, making it useful as a teaching reference as well as a recognition tool. A worthwhile complement to a public or academic library collection.?Andy Wickens, Univ. of Washington, Seattle
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review
Look up the sign, find the word! It presents students, sign-language teachers, and Deaf people alike with a genuinely innovative resource to hone communication skills in both ASL and English.

Customer Reviews

The first Real ASL dictionary.
I have quite a collection of ASL dictionaries, because I am deaf but didn't learn ASL until later in life. Now I am in science education, and I still need the dictionaries to write about the differences in ASL and English when translating science curricula. This is the best dictionary on the market today. The author used the format they use for most other dictionaries when going from English to that language and back. Only in ASLs case instead of written words as the phonemes or morphemes, you have handshapes. As the other reviewer stated, with this dictionary you can go from English to ASL, and deaf people can go from known handshapes to the most representative English word. Up til this point there was no dictionary for the Deaf to use to refer back to the English words. This is also the only format where you don't have to go hunting through the book for what you are looking for. Like all written mediums for dictionaries and ASL its only problem is its two dimensional presentation. However, the work they put into finally making a dictionary in the right way for ASL far outweighs the two dimensional concern. As an educator, this is the book I recommend and use for my classes and for my papers. Karen L. Sadler, Science Education, University of Pittsburgh, klsst23@pitt.edu

The most valuable helpful sign language dictionary yet!
This book has a unique approach to learning sign language making it different from other books previously published. This is the first book that allows you to go from Spoken English to ASL and VICE VERSA!! Essential text for anyone who wants to learn to sign or to read the signs of others.

Finally!
Finally a book that allows you to search for signs based on their handshape. Many ASL students have difficulty understanding ASL users. This book gives them a better chance to look up signs to comprehend them instead of using looking up an English gloss to learn what THEY want to say! The only drawback? Not enough! This book should be expanded. I hope to see more signs included in the next edition. (There will be a next edition right?)