Directions
• In your groups take the sentences
and organize them into two logical
categories.
• I will come check them and see if
you have figured out the pattern.
If you’re still stumped…
• Your category titles are:
–WHEN something started
–HOW LONG something has
been going on.
Which sentences talk about
WHEN something started?
• My nephew has played soccer ever since he was
4 years old.
• She’s been throwing up ever since she ate the
old seafood.
• I’ve been awake since 5:30 a.m.
• Since he fell on the ice, his butt has been sore.
Which sentences talk about HOW
LONG something’s been going on?
• Mrs. Mair has taught ASL for 7 years.
• The neighbors have always argued.
• Stephanie has played the flute for 14 years.
• Paul has lived in Westerville for the past two
years.
ASL Time Concepts…
…there’s more than just
In both English and ASL we can talk
about something that happened in
the past, present, and future.
–I walked my dog. (DOG WALK-ME
FINISH)
–I am walking my dog. (DOG WALKME)
–I will walk my dog. (DOG WALK-ME
WILL)
But that’s not all…
• In English we can also talk about
something that started in the past and
continues into the future.
– Ever since I ate that hotdog, my stomach
has hurt.
– My stomach has hurt for 3 hours.
• In ASL we can sign the exact same
sentences, but depending on what’s
being said, we would sign it differently.
– ME EAT HOT DOG SINCE ME PAINSTOMACH
– SINCE 3-HOURS ME PAIN-STOMACH
For you visual people…
• The Event…
2
P
A
S
T
1
3
PRESENT
1. Started at some point in time in
the past….
2. The event is a continuous
event…
3. And the event is continuing into
the present.
F
U
T
U
R
E
This sign SINCE can be voiced/translated:
– Since
– All along
– For
– Ever since
- Up until now
- From the time
- For the last
- For the past
HOWEVER…
• They are not signed in the same word
order that we say it in English.
• It depends on the TYPE of “time
information” that is given.
Specific Point in Time
• aka….SPIT
• The SPIT can be a TIME, DAY, a DATE, or
just an EVENT that happened in the past.
• All of these identify the “starting point” of
the SINCE sign.
SPIT examples
• English:
– Mary ate dinner last night, and has been sick
ever since.
• ASL:
– LAST NIGHT MARY EAT DINNER,SINCE
SICK
SPIT examples
• English:
– Bill has lived on Main Street since he moved
to Westerville in 1990.
• ASL:
– 1990 BILL MOVE-TO WESTERVILLE, SINCE
ix lt HE LIVE MAIN STREET
SPIT examples
• English:
– Don has taught at OSU since he was fired
from Otterbein.
• ASL:
– OTTERBEIN FIRE DON SINCE ix lf HE
TEACH OSU
SPIT examples
• English:
– In 2001 Todd met Elizabeth, and they have
been friends ever since.
• ASL:
– 2001 ix lf TODD, ix rt ELIZABETH TWO-OFTHEM MEET, SINCE TWO-OF-THEM
FRIENDS
Period of Time
• aka POT
• All of these do not give a specific starting
point, but they do identify how long
(Period of Time) the event or activity has
been going on.
POT examples
• English:
– Mary has been sick for the last three weeks.
• ASL:
– SINCE THREE-WEEKS M-A-R-Y SICK
POT EXAMPLES
• English:
– Bill has lived on Main St. for the last 19 years.
• ASL:
– SINCE 19 YEARS, B-I-L-L LIVE M-A-I-N
STREET
POT EXAMPLES
• English:
– For the past six years Don has taught at OSU.
• ASL:
– SINCE 6-YEARS D-O-N TEACH O-S-U.
POT EXAMPLES
• English:
– Todd and Elizabeth have been friends for
eight years.
• ASL:
– SINCE 8-YEARS ix lf T-O-D-D, ix rt
E-L-I-Z-A-B-E-T-H TWO-OF-THEM FRIENDS
SPIT in the POT
SPIT
POT
Time
And/or
event
Time
AND
Event
• An easy way to remember the difference is
that a SPIT always has a
CAUSE and EFFECT
One last thing to point out…
• In English the word “since” can
sometimes mean “because”.
– I can’t go out since I’m sick.
• In those cases, you would make it a
rhetorical sentence and sign “why?”
– ME CAN’T GO-OUT WHY (rh-), ME SICK
More examples…
• My son has been running around
since he learned to walk.
• My son has been running around
for 6 months.
More examples…
• I’ve played the piano for 12 years.
• Since I was 12 I’ve played the
piano.
More examples…
• Bob’s wanted to marry Megan
Fox for 3 years.
• Ever since Bob saw Megan Fox’s
picture, he’s wanted to marry her.
More examples…
• Bob’s played hockey since he
was in 1st grade.
• Bob’s played hockey for 12 years
More examples…
• Ever since Sue kissed Ann’s
boyfriend, she’s hated her.
• Ann has hated Sue for 3 months.