Asl Gloss

Glossing

a written or typed approximation of ASL typically using English words as "labels" for each sign along with various grammatical notes.

Glossing is not

A translation

What is asl glossing

Using UPPERCASE and notes to represent an ASL phrase or sentence in written form, capturing the structure and meaning without exact word-for-word translation.

My name is Johanna

ME NAME fs- JOHANNA

DEAF

An English word in capital letters represents the ASL Concept

fs-

word must be lowercase with a hypen (-) followed by the fingerspelled word

#

Lexicalized sign, the blending together of letter from the mutual alphabet to form a finger spelled sign (EX: #DO means do)

-

When sign glosses are separated by a hyphen, they represent a single sign, for example

OLD-1

LOOK-AT

OPEN-DOOR

GET-DRESSED

+

A plus sign between the sign glosses is used for both compound signs and contractions for example:

EX- MOTHER+ FATHER

TIME+4(4o'clock)

BED+ROOM

" "

Quotation marks around lowercase words indicate a gesture like sign for example:

" not a sign it's a gesture

EX: "well" "what"

!!

Exclamations marks are used for the emphatic form; the sign is stressed or emphasized for example:

!HARD!

!wrong!

++

Indicate repetition of the sign. It is used for habitual or frequentative inflection as well as pluralization for example:

Different++

Teach++

-cont

Indicates continuous infection of verbs for example:

Cry-cont

Complai-cont

Work-cont

( )

Words in parentheses depicting an action or movement indicates something is done without a manual sign for example: (nod)

(Shake head)

(2h)

Two handed: used when a commonly one-handed sign is made with both hands for example:

(2h)DO++

(2h)lcl "doors open"

“verb”-”noun”

A sign with spatial or locative information is shown in the lower case and is attached to the sign gloss. You do not need to sign the lower case as it is shown the location in the writing for example:

GO-to-SCHOOL

BRING-to-LIBRARY

IX

Indicates pointing and is used for third person pronouns after the person or name has been signed (he she it him her)

IX-loc

Means THERE and is used to indicate the location of an object of place for example:

"ball under chair"

IX-thumb, index finger, mid finger, ring Finge pinkie

Used in the process of listing people or things on the non dominant hand. List usually begins with thumb

__q

Yes-no questions: brows raised and head tilted forward slightly

Whq

Wh-word question

Brows are furrowed, head tilted forward, end with wh-question, WHO WHAT WHERE WHICH WHY HOW for example:

YOU LIVE WHERE

Rhet

Rhetorical question

A question you ask for the purpose of keeping your audience awake. Calls attention to the information that follows it for example:

SHE PASS CLASS, HOW, STUDY HARD

nod

Nodding with signs create affirmative awnser or statements for example:

YES, ME HEARING

neg

Negation:shaking head with signs indicates the negation of the answer of statement for example:

fs-CARL, ME NOT KNOW

t

Topicalization (raised brows) reflects setting up the topic of the sentence for example:

COFFEE, t ME LOVE

lf rt

Left and right indicate where the sights should be made, in the left or right area of the signing space

MOTHER lf FATHER rt

RS

Indicates there is a change in body position, eye gaze, or shoulder position