Good morning, hivemind: does anyone here know of any particularly good resources for learning American Sign Language (ASL)? Doesn't have to be free, doesn't have to be for credit.
There is an app called “ASL Sign Language Pocket Sign” but I have not utilized it. A friend of mine worked at the Oklahoma School for the Deaf and I remember her talking about it. Off topic but I have no idea why they put Sign Language after ASL. Lol
Two schools that have long had robust online credit course offerings in ASL: Troy University (courses, ASL minor, or Interpreter Training Program major) and Carolina University (NA TRACS, program inherited from Tennessee Temple University; courses, ASL minor, or Deaf Studies major with either Sign Language Interpreting or Advocacy in Social Services minor).
https://www.lifeprint.com/ is an excellent resource. The design and layout of the site leaves a lot to be desired, but the information is top notch. Especially when it comes to describing ASL grammar. The vast majority of second language ASL learners don't really "get" that ASL is its own distinct language and not visual English. Along with it, I recommend watching Bill Vicars' YouTube channel. https://youtube.com/@sign-language For learning signs, I suggest https://www.signingsavvy.com/ and https://www.handspeak.com/. I'll add the caveat that you'll sometimes find signs on both of those sites that you'll likely only rarely, if ever, see any Deaf person use in real life. Also, there are so many regional variations of signs that you'll probably never learn unless you regularly interact with your local Deaf community. There was a website that did a great job of giving suggestions for specialized ASL vocabulary, but I can't find it at the moment. I'll see if I can dig the link up from the depths of my browsing history and share it here.
I've used ASL interpreters in court and it's an amazing skill. Most of the really skilled interpreters grew up with deaf parents or siblings. It’s truly a language in its own right.
Indeed it is, Nosborne. And it's tragic that fake sign language interpreters appear in public and on TV so often. Pages and pages of them... https://www.google.com/search?q=fake+sign+language+interpreter+on+tv&oq=fake+sign+language+interpreter+on+TV