I have ‘The pocket dictionary of Signing’ from 1992. It is a basic dictionary with pictures for over 600 signs. I am looking to get back into learning sign language – so my question is does it matter that it is from 1992? Does sign language get updated? Should I invest in a newer book?
Thank you so much! Also, please note I am only looking for responses from qualified individuals who know the answer for sure – please no speculation.
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It depends on how much you really want to learn ASL. Yes, sign language does change and get updated as well as new signs added to vocabulary.
For example, many signs for country names have changed from older signs that were sometimes considered racist. If you are just learning to communicate with Deaf friends, then your current dictionary should be fine and a friend will probably correct you if something should come up that was incorrect or old. If you want to learn for more professional reasons or you want to take a class, a newer dictionary might be better.
Just to let you know, if you want to learn ASL, you have to get out there and meet Deaf people and practice and communicate because no matter how much vocab you learn from a dictionary (new or old) there is always grammar and proper use of those signs that you can only learn from practicing.
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