American Sign Language (ASL) and Signed English (SE)
Series 3 Lesson 9: Past Tense
By Elaine Ernst Schneider
In asl /english there are time indicators like today, tomorrow, last night, next year. etc… ‘I will go to the store tomorrow’ is English word order. In asl, does the ‘tomorrow’ come first and then ‘store go to I will’ or ‘tomorrow go store will I’? I am not sure which is first. MaryRather than answer your question off the top of my head, I have gone to The American Sign Language Phrase Book by Lou Fant. I will quote him but also add in some explanation. My words will be in brackets. Here is what Fant has to say about Time Indicators:
[These phrases would come at the beginning of the sentence.]
[Most deaf that I know use the “finish” sign to indicate that the activity has just been completed.]
[Use of this sign usually indicates something completed further back in time than when using the ‘finish’ sign.]
That’s a nice little summary by Lou Fant, don’t you think? I hope the info begins to answer some of your “time” questions. You might want to consider getting this book. I find it invaluable. Good luck in your ASL studies!!
- Did you eat your banana? I ate it.
- Did you drive to school? I drove.
- Did you sing in church? I sang.
Need to review your signs? Look them up in the Vocabulary Index Here
|Signs||Description of Sign Action|
|finish||Hold open hands (fingers spread) in front of chest, palms facing inward. With a sudden movement, rotate wrists so that palms face outward.|
|him/her||Point in the direction of where someone is located. If no one is there, point to an “imaginary” person.|
|last week||Place the back of a right “1” hand in the upward turned palm of the left hand. Then move the right hand to the right shoulder, symbolizing throwing the spent week over your shoulder. Note: To show 2 weeks ago, make a 2 with the right hand; for 3 weeks, use the sign for 3, etc. as the right hand moves to the shoulder.|
|last year||Make an abbreviated sign for “year” (touch the “S” hands together). Then move the right hand to the right shoulder, opening the fingers during the movement. This symbolizing a year that has been thrown away (over the shoulder). Note: To show 2 years ago, make a 2 with the right hand; for 3 years, use the sign for 3, etc. as the right hand moves to the shoulder.|
|long ago, in the past||Hands alternate back over the shoulder.|
|past||Move the right flat hand backward over the right shoulder and “wave” slightly as if throwing the past behind you.|
|tell||Use a right “d” hand to visually move the spoken word from the mouth into the air.|
Continue on to ASL Lesson 10 – Opposites – click here.