Basics & Space
What is the area directly in front of your chest where you should keep your signs?
What is Sign Space?
Why is maintaining eye contact critical during an ASL conversation?
Breaking eye contact is rude and indicates you are not paying attention.
What function do facial expressions serve in ASL?
What is your voice inflection?
Sloppy signing in ASL is compared to what bad spoken communication habit?
What is mumbling?
What are the 5 Parameters of ASL that tell you how to form a sign?
Handshape, Palm Orientation, Location, Movement, and Non-Manual Signals.
What happens if you sign outside of your sign space?
It becomes harder to understand and uncomfortable to watch.
What is the immediate consequence of breaking eye contact while someone is signing to you?
You miss what is being said.
What three elements do facial expressions convey in ASL?
What are grammar, emotion, and meaning?
When should you use fingerspelling instead of signs?
For proper nouns like names and places.
Facial expressions belong to which of the 5 Parameters?
What are Non-Manual Signals?
Which hand should you use as your primary dominant hand for signing?
What is the hand you write with?
True or False:
It is acceptable to look away frequently while receiving a message in ASL.
False (eye contact must always be maintained).
What should you avoid doing with your mouth while signing?
Do not mouth English words (as ASL has a different grammar).
True or False: Fingerspelling can be used as a full substitute for signing if you do not know the sign.
False (fingerspelling is NOT a substitute for signing).
Why is precision in handshape and location so important when forming signs?
Because some signs are very similar, so precision avoids misunderstandings.