ASL University ►


American Sign Language: "Book Review: "Basic Sign Communication"
 

"Basic Sign Communication"

In a message dated 5/25/2003 10:51:44 PM Central Daylight Time, rsalts@ writes:

Hello Bill,
While reading through your ASL grammar explanations, I came across the above named book (Basic Sign Communication). How can I get a copy or is it available for purchase?
Is the book 'Learning American Sign Language' by Carol Padden, et al, also a good book to get?
Thanks,
Richard
 


Richard,
I'd go to the library and borrow an armload of ASL books. No sense spending money when you don't have to. I like Carol's book "Learning American Sign Language." It is very user friendly.

I haven't used the Basic Sign Communication book for many years. But it is (was) a great book!  I stopped using it simply because some people in the academic ASL teaching community couldn't get past their myoptic fixation on the title.  I reckon since the title didn't say "AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE" in flashing bold letters that Many instructors knee-jerk relegated it to the "this isn't 'real ASL' pile" and started calling it "Pidgin Signed English" (which some now call "contact language.")  That is unfortunate because the Basic Sign Communication book is (was) full of ASL! It just used a "grammar translation" approach to its sentences is all. (Thus it was bilingual/biculture It is also full of other great information about a wide range of topics.  It is getting a bit old and could use an "update"--but other than that it is an incredible buy for your money.

The ISBN is 0913072567
Take care,
--Bill


 

X

Back to Reviews...

 

 

You can learn sign language (ASL) online at American Sign Language University ™
Lifeprint.com  ©  Dr. William Vicars