ASL Unit 2: Vocabulary, Grammar, and Deaf Culture

Practice vocabulary flashcards reviewing key concepts, non-manual signals, sentence structures, and cultural etiquette from ASL Unit 2.

To grab

Literally meaning grab; used in ASL when talking about taking advantage of sudden opportunities.

None

A vocabulary sign related to nothing, but used in a more emphatic manner.

Warning

A vocabulary sign used to say "watch out."

Directionality

A linguistic feature in ASL where the meaning of a sign changes depending on the direction or movement of the sign (such as moving toward the signer or toward another person).

Directional Verbs

Verbs in ASL whose direction of movement changes according to the spatial location of personal pronouns to indicate subject and object (e.g., HELP, GIVE, SHOW, TELL, PAY, GO/COME, DRIVE-TO, FLY-TO, LOOK-AT).

OSV (Object-Subject-Verb)

An ASL grammatical topic-comment sentence order where the object is introduced first as the topic, followed by the subject and the verb.

TTAQ

An ASL sentence structure acronym that stands for Time-Topic-Action-Question.

WH-Face

A specific non-manual signal made when asking a WH- question (who, what, where, when, why), asking a clarifying question, or asking for help.

WH- Facial Expressions

Non-manual signals characterized by eyebrows scrunched (down), head tilted forward, eye contact, and holding the last sign.

Y/N Facial Expressions

Non-manual signals for yes/no questions characterized by eyebrows raised (up), head tilted forward, eye contact with the person you are signing with, and holding the last sign.

The Signed Question Mark

A sign used to emphasize that a question has been asked and the signer expects a response; it does not replace the Question-Maker and cannot be used on its own.

GLOSS

A written system for representing ASL using ALL CAPS, containing no filler words, no tenses, and utilizing symbols such as exclamation points, plus signs, and hyphens.

(fs)

A glossing convention used to denote that a specific word or name is fingerspelled.

IX

A glossing notation standing for index/indexing, used to indicate pointing to a person, object, or location.

Iconic Signs

Signs that visually resemble or mimic the appearance, shape, or action of the object they are describing (e.g., Door, Lights, Phone, Window, Person standing).

Rule of 9

A rule in ASL where the numerical amounts 1 through 9 can be incorporated directly into a base time sign (such as days, weeks, months, or years).

Days and Months Pattern (Rule of 9)

The directional pattern under the Rule of 9 where number incorporation moves towards the signer.

Weeks and Years Pattern (Rule of 9)

The directional pattern under the Rule of 9 where number incorporation moves away from the signer.

"Deaf" Accent / Regional Signs

Variations in signs that differ depending on geographic region (comparable to English word differences like soda vs pop); it has nothing to do with how a deaf person sounds.

Appropriate Labels (Deaf Community)

Culturally accepted and respectful terminology for identity: Deaf, CODA, Hard of hearing, and Hearing.

Inappropriate Labels (Deaf Community)

Outdated or offensive labels rejected by the community: Hearing impaired, Deaf mute, and Deaf and dumb.

Why "Hearing Impaired" is Inappropriate

It focuses on what Deaf people cannot do, insinuating that they are broken or defective and need to be fixed.

CODA

An appropriate community label and acronym for Child of a Deaf Adult.

Excuse me (Rule of Usage)

A sign that should not include adding the sign "me," because doing so is redundant.

You're welcome (Deaf Culture Custom)

Culturally expressed by signing "thank you" back to the person who thanked you, or by nodding the head and smiling (nodding is more casual and used with friends and family).

To mean

A vocabulary sign referring to definition or meaning, frequently combined with the WH-Face in the phrase "mean what?"

To explain

A vocabulary sign meaning to describe or clarify, frequently combined with the WH-Face in the phrase "explain again."