ASL Intro

[xxpowwowbluexx]

This was obviously sped up...

[azsingersigner]

Did YouTube make my video go double-time? Sorry about that. I swear I don't really sign that fast. If you understand me, though, you must have good receptive skills! ;-)

[OrganizedKonfusion]

This is pretty cool! I'm hoping to get into college for an ASL interpreter program :). Nice to see there are others who are interpreters :)

[Lilac2005]

Hi. I know this isn't related to your video..but I couldn't help commenting on the fact you look A LOT like a young Christopher Reeves in Superman. Sorry if it's off the point. Do you get that remark a lot??

[azsingersigner]

Yeah, I've heard that one a few times. ;-) Thank you. =)

[staraction]

you know, you are right...lmao

[middleC17]

I am taking third year asl in high school. I absoutly love it, and am seriously considering becomeing an interpreter. But I still can't understand what Deaf people are signing to me unless they go really slow. But at least I can formulate a response!

[redsgirl4eva]

I need to lear ASL because I am newly deaf so I don't know what he said but it will be cool when I am able to know what he was saying.

[azsingersigner]

When I was learning ASL, the second best thing to seeing deaf people in person was watching them tell stories on videotape. I could pause the tape, rewind, etc. There is a wealth of videos out there that you can get from school labs, libraries, bookstores, and on the Internet. Glad this video helped too.

[LaMamiDelCangri]

I am a graduate student currently learning ASL, level 2. But everytime i go to either a deaf event or a deaf play i never understand anything they are signing because they go too fast for me. It's some how frustrating especially when there is no interpreters. But i have to admit that ASL is very interesting and enjoyable. I would like to learn more and faster but it's not easy! Thanks for the video!!!

[Raynee13]

I am a hearing student currently learning ASL. I don't want to be an interperter, I just want to be able to talk to whoever i want to talk to! ^^ I want to be literate in all languages. My receptive skills are good, but my signs don't flow like yours- I was very impressed. Also, I tend to sign in English word order, (much to my teacher's frustration! Lol) Anyway, I liked your vid and just wanted to thank you for the extra pratice! ^^

[azsingersigner]

If you clicked on Posts by Category and selected the category ASL/Interpreting, you would have found 43 articles as of today. Regardless of how you feel about shaving cream, you can't expect my entire blog to be about ASL. Believe me, it would take you less effort to find articles about ASL than it took me to write them all.

[kelsey1203]

i went to your web site and i was very disappointed. i have been learning sign language for 3 years now and i want to be enrolled into an interpreting school. i thought that you would have given information about continuing education or something but it is just a blog about yourself and i had a hard time even finding anything about ASL i don't care if your shave cream is discontinued... boo

[DailyDreamer123]

I'm learning ASL right now because I want to be an interpreter. My best friend is Deaf and he has taught me everything I know. It's extremely fun to sign.

[staircapades]

haha funny how your mouth forms to the letters you're fingerspelling :P

I do that too

[partychica4]

pppppssssssssshhhhhhhh i already know sign language. its my 3rd language. ahahahaha

[morihu]

hi daneil my name is marlene and i am also learning asl. It very easy but my class is on the first stage lol i love it but i dont live near deaf people so how am im goin to practice with people?

[OrochimaruKoi]

hi im michael im hearing. im curently taking sign langage, my goal is to be an iterpreter i really wish i had deaf friends, dont take this the wrong way i luv my friends they even take the class with me it is not the same as having somone join our conversations who is deaf. i recently went to an asl competition sadly i did not win, i was nevious and broke eye contact. if i may be so bold as to say i think that is a big no-no in the deaf world. pls comment on my youtube. OrochimaruKoi ASL=life

[JWJNC]

Thank you Daniel for your video. I am learning sign as is alot of the other people here on You Tube. I am kinda at the beginning stages and I know alot of words, but putting them together is still kind of awkward. Is it rude for me to come up to a deaf person in public and practice with them? I have done it a few times and they don't seem to be bothered by me. I tell them that I am learning and they just smile and say keep up the good work.Haven't had a bad experience at all with that.

[azsingersigner]

My pleasure! Yes, as long as you are respectful and modest about it, and the deaf people you approach accept your learning level, keep it up! That's what I did years ago, and it's the best way to learn.

[mcandles1]

Hi Daniel, My name is Michael. I am currently in an ITP class here in NY. My receptive skills are very weak, I get some signs but when a person is signing at a faster pace I don't understand. Reading someones fingerspelling also seems to be a weakness. What would your advice be so I can develop them(receptive skills) more? Great Video, by the way!

[donati1830]

I am an aspiring interpreter and use YouTube to practice my receptive skills. Thank you for posting this video.

[azsingersigner]

You're welcome. Thanks for taking the time to comment.

[PCKill900]

hmm... good job!

did deaf people teaching you?

besides, i know that deaf can teach hearing or who wanna become interpreter... also i think deaf are better teach sign language than hearing. because that is deaf's language and culture and history and more... u know what i mean.

[azsingersigner]

Yes, I've had a lot of Deaf teachers, and I know what you mean. I've had some good hearing ones too. =)

[kayiskrazy33]

wow i wish i signed as good as u, one problem the fish was destracting me lol

[azsingersigner]

Sorry about the fish! LOL Always trying to steal the show! ;-)

[michaelottinger]

Great smile.

[gypsyjade]

Hi Daniel,

I enjoyed your video. I am learning ASL right now and have found that by watching other people's videos, I am able to improve my 'translating' skills (is that the right word?).

Anyway, I appreciate your videos and I hope that one day soon I am able to sign as well as you.

Believe in Magic,

Kali

[angieaubergine]

just as a reply to surfingnirvana's comment.. havent you ever heard of regionally used signs and signed dialects? not every sign is the same by each person!

[xocrystalox19]

wow ,,, you have a very nice smile:P

[surfingnirvana]

His ASL isnt that good. He says hi, then does an odd movement...It looks like my almost but it definately isnt 'my name is'. Also, he uses a wierd sign for Deaf, using a D hand and signing the sign in reverse order. I would not hire him lol.

[azsingersigner]

Actually, I signed the honorific "I am," which is often used by deaf people when they introduce themselves in formal settings. My sign for Deaf incorporated the "1" or "index" handshape from ear to mouth, which comes from the old expression "deaf-mute" but which now simply connotes Deaf (audiologically and culturally) I have personally witnesssed thousands of American deaf people using this sign for Deaf.

[TehWixss]

You obviously only know basic ASL or you'd know there's different ways to say things. :) He signs very well, and anyone who actually knows ASL would understand him.

[jazzjp]

your sign language seems really good...but im just learining also and this is not an introduction to sign language....show off

[azsingersigner]

Right, this is not an introduction to ASL; it is an introduction <em>in</em> ASL.

[dudewhite]

your sign language way is wonderful good job.

[saintmojo]

This must be cool for those who already know how to sign. But for those of us who are looking for an 'intro', where is the translation to either written or spoken word?

[azsingersigner]

It's in the description to the right of the video.

[ShadowCatXIII]

I used to be at the conversational level of ASL (two deaf co-workers), but I have lost so much of it since I moved four years ago. I try to keep up with it, but it's difficult signing to your dog when she won't sign back :-) Thanks for the video - please post more!!!

[sandroallan]

oi

[yelloweyed]

ASL is sexy.

[redsgirl4eva]

it is not suppose to be sexy I take offense to that comment because I myself am newly deaf and I have friend that are hearing impaired and others that are deaf it is a way of communication.

[azsingersigner]

Well, French is a necessary form of communication, but it's sexy too. =)

[bluesocksdredundies]

just a bit of info to help you out in the future...hearing impaired is offensive. hard of hearing is preferred =)

[dtp882]

Uh, hearing impaired means hard of hearing, and either way it is hearing impaired, i.e. impaired in hearing. Shouldn't be offensive.

But my main comment was, I have (well had :'( ) a Cousin named Daniel Green

[azsingersigner]

It's true that a lot of people who consider themselves members of the Deaf Culture prefer to be called hard of hearing than hearing impaired. Granted, it is a matter of political correctness just as seemingly arbitrary as black or Negro (they mean the same except one is English and the other is Spanish) or Colored Persons vs. people of color. It's all about connotation and identity. Hearing impaired has a medical connotation while hard of hearing has a cultural one.

[hamokiwi]

interesting -- because in New Zealand, hard of hearing is the less favoured term (old-fashioned and much less PC to us) and carries no intra-cultural meaning for the NZ Deaf community. the preferred term here is hearing impaired (amongst both Deafies and hearing impaired people!). how about that!

[iefraplas08]

true, its just like MSL (mexican sign language), hearing people call deaf people "sordo-mudos" (mute- deaf).

hard of hearing people in mexico take it as offense. they say, which i agree, that as long as you can make a small sound with your voice, you ARE NOT mute. just a little FYI.

[Britty8705]

My deaf teacher prefers to be called Deaf. Not 'hard or hearing' or 'hearing impaired' b/c these term make a refernce to what isn't there, but Deaf refers to something that IS there... just thought I would throw this one in lol

[KDHawaii]

You made an error(slightly). You signed "my sign" then you signed "D" on your right side of your face. You should have sign "My sign name" then show your sign name. Other than that, you did a good job.

[azsingersigner]

KDHawaii, actually, I signed "MY NAME D-A-N-I-E-L G-R-E-E-N-E, NAME SIGN D (touch cheek, then jaw)." I know the beginning of the video was a bit corrupted in the process of uploading to YouTube, so it may be hard to see what I signed.

[vikingscool]

I have a friend, I were in school in Junior High,

and High school, there is a man who worked for

ASL-interpreting. I am lucky person in the world. Also,

I have a friend who is an ASL-interpreter, a woman

for me with my family!

[KdADink]

hii im hearing but my boyfriend hes deaf in so is my best friend we went to the same high school i learn to sign not fingure spell in gd 10 and learned it quick I have the best friends n the hole wide world and just wanted to share that n say hii okay soo bye n take care

[Pslams61]

I like the Video...and I am going to school in the fall of 2007 to be a Teacher for the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing and I think after that I am going to go to school to be an interpreter. I have a video on my page if you would like to check it out!!! Thanks!!

<3 Ashley

[Miguelito203]

It is kind of unusual and mysterious to us hearing folk.