Unit 6 Notes
Using the Sign “DURING”
The sign “DURING” is used to explain the general time an something occurs. It is a when” sign, (to indicate
tense) meaning it comes first in an ASL sentence.
EXAMPLE: (English) I swim over the summer. DURING SUMMER I SWIM
I watch movies when it rains. DURING RAIN I WATCH MOVIE
Equal Through Sports
Sports and athletic competitions are just as important in the Deaf World as they are to hearing people. Deaf
athletes are organized into local, state, regional, national, & international associations representing a wide
variety of sporting interests. Every four years, Deaf athletes and spectators gather to participate in the
Deaflympics, the international games for Deaf players. The Deaflympics began in 1924 and are modeled after
Olympic Games, providing the opportunity to compete in an environment that does not penalize or limit
achievement due to deafness. For example, starting cues are visual rather than audible, featuring flashing
lights rather than the sound of a starting pistol or whistle. Thousands of Deaf players and fans descend on the
Deaflympics, turning the sporting venue into a mosaic of sign languages from all over the globe. As Deaf
athletes break down social and attitudinal barriers and compete against hearing peers, the ideals of
competition and the Deaflympics becomes clear: Equal Through Sports.
The Football Huddle:
A student at Gallaudet University, Paul Hubbard, devised a way to keep the opposing team from seeing his
teams signs….by forming a huddle! The idea was taken up quickly by teams everywhere.
Asking “Have You…”
Asking “Have you…? ASL uses the signs experience and finish to ask questions about whether someone has or
has not done something. In ASL “HAVE” is not used because it means to be in possession of something.
“FINISH and its NMS:
The sign FINISH is always accompanied by a specific NMS: move your lips as if saying “fish”
The Five Parameters of an ASL Sign
Certain parameters must be accurate for a sign to be accurate:
1. Handshape: the shape of your hand(s)
2. Palm Orientation: the direction your palm is facing
3. Location (placement): where the sign is formed
4. Movement: how the sign moves
5. Non-Manual Signal: specific facial expressions
CL: 5
Many People
CL:5 is related to CL:1 and represents at least five or more people engaged in an activity such as walking. The
concept of CL: 5 is more people than cannot be easily counted, unless you’re talking about a certain group of
five individuals. CL:5 can be preceded by a number sign.
CL: Bent V
Seated Position or animals and insects:
CL: Bent V represents a pair of human legs in a seated position, animals, and insects. Since classifiers have
different meanings, it is important to identify the object being represented by a classifier.
CL: B and Base B
Flat Objects:
CL: B represents flat objects. When CL: B is used as a flat surface and another classifier placed on top, it
becomes CL: Base B. CL: B provides a bird’s eye view of objects normally shown with CL:3. Use CL: 3 when
describing a vehicle, in which you are not involved, but use CL: B if you were a passenger or driving the vehicle.
The Literature of American Sign Language:
All cultures and people groups create literature such as stories, poetry, riddles, etc. Most cultures literature is
written. Those cultures without a written language produce oral literature. Oral Literature means that stories
are preserved and passed down only by the act of storytelling Deaf culture also has this tradition and these
stories are produced live, or recorded. Of course, ASL literature is not spoken, it is signed. Therefore, it is
visual literature.
Here are the six (6) major forms of Literature of ASL.
1. ASL poetry
2. Classifier stories
3. Handshape Rhymes
4. ABC stories
5. Number stories
6. Narratives
ASL Poetry and Spoken Poetry
MASL Unit 6 shows two different signs for poetry. One is based on the culture of hearing individuals. The
other is based on Deaf culture – Deaf performers. Deaf poets adopted the sign “EXPRESS-MYSELF” to sign
ASL poetry, feeling that it more fully captured the depth of expression in signing ASL poetry.
Time Concepts
As discussed in Unit 2, time signs are shown at the beginning of an ASL sentence. Once the tense has been
established, everything remains in that time period, until the signer changes it.
Time Concepts follow a pattern.

Everything referring to the future moves forward.

Everything referring to the past moves backward.

Everything referring to the present is signed just in
front of the body.
The Rule of 9:
The rule of 9 conveys duration, or how long something lasts. It is used when signing about a specific period of
time or age. This period is included with the base sign.
The Rule of 9 is used with the following:

Age

Number of days

Time of day

Number of weeks

Number of hours

Number of months

Number of minutes

Amounts of money
Exceptions to the Rule of 9:

Generally, two days ago is the highest it goes, sometimes three

Generally, 1 year ago and 2 years ago is the highest it goes.

There are a few other exceptions, to be discussed at another time
When duration is longer than 9, it is signed differently:

Past tense with duration longer than 9…. sign the number first, then the base sign, then the tense.
Example: I bought a car 12 weeks ago.
12 WEEK PAST CAR I BUY I

Future tense with duration longer than 9…. Sign the tense marker, then the number, then the base
sign,
Example: I will buy a car in 10 months.
FUTURE 10 MONTH CAR I BUY
Asking for Repetition:
Use phrases such as:

neg
“I don’t understand.” “UNDERSTAND”

“Sign slowly” (slower). “SLOW”

wh
“What did you fingerspell?” “FINGERSPELL”

“I missed that.” “MISS”
Master ASL!: Unit 6
Signing Naturally: Unit 6 & partial CR 1-6