For example I know how to sign dance, but how do i say “the woman is dancing”. How do I add “ing” to a word?
Join the Conversation
Leave a comment
Sign Language Lessons, Information, Product Reviews and Tips to Get Started Learning ASL
For example I know how to sign dance, but how do i say “the woman is dancing”. How do I add “ing” to a word?
You don’t. What you are doing is translating English into ASL word for word and it doesn’t work that way.
Woman + dance = the woman is dancing. Or you can point to the woman and add dance, you might not need to sign “woman” depending on context.
You need to learn from native speakers and copy them.
In ASL, you would not do that. SEE sign which is Signed English Exactly does by doing the ASL signs and spelling out ING. I sure hope you aren’t learning SEE sign since it is frowned upon in the USA.
A little off topic but it is helpful:
In ASL, you do add position to words. Many people who learn from native speakers do not know this! For example, if you wanted to say: My Mother’s car is nice, you would sign it like this:
Car + My + Mother (mom) + Fingerspelt S + nice
That forms the sentence My Mother’s Car is Nice.
I hope I didn’t confuse you, just wanted to add that.