Hey signers! Welcome back to Learn How to Sign. Today we are going to be focusing on grammar,
specifically in the form of questions. In this video, we're going to be covering
less about the signs and more about the grammar and structure of how you sign
ASL questions. Be sure to follow my examples and practice them with signs you already know.
There are many specifics that are important to follow, but I know you can do it! As always be
sure to like, subscribe, and be notified. So let's learn how to sign some questions in ASL!
Before we jump into questions, know that these take practice in switching your mind
into ASL structure, so follow each step that I give you and practice a variety
of questions to get the hang of this. So first let's talk about the yes/no questions.
You need to have your eyebrows up, you need to point
back at the person when you are asking them a question, you need to pause and lean forward.
ME or I Use your index finger
and point it toward yourself. ME or I
MY MY
You have a flat hand that goes right on your chest.
MY YOU
YOU You're using your index
finger and pointing to you. YOU
YOUR YOUR
Your flat hand is pushing towards somebody. YOUR
Great job! So keep practicing. Practice these every day, and you'll be signing in no time.
So now we're going to jump into "wh" questions. When signing "wh" questions,
you have to follow a specific structure. Your eyebrows go down. When you sign the "wh" word,
it goes at the end of the sentence. You also need to point back at the person at the end of the
question. You need to pause and lean forward. So let's learn how to sign "wh" questions.
FOR FOR FOR FOR
Your finger is flicking out from your forehead, asking like "What's that for?" or "Why is that?"
FOR FOR HOW MUCH?
HOW MUCH? Your hands are throwing up into the air.
HOW MUCH? HOW? or HOW?
You're doing the sign HOW, but make sure that your eyebrows are down, because it's a "wh" question.
HOW? HOW?
QUESTION MARK QUESTION MARK
You're just making the shape of a question mark with the dot.
QUESTION MARK QUESTION
QUESTION It's like a tiny little question mark.
QUESTION WHAT?
WHAT? Your
five hands are kind of bent in together, moving in and out. WHAT?
WHEN WHEN
Think of the hand of a clock moving around. WHEN
WHERE? WHERE?
Your index finger is searching like a compas.
Where's north? WHERE?
WHICH WHICH
It's like you're balancing which one you prefer. WHICH
WHO? or WHO? I like to think of an owl going "hoo" "hoo".
WHO or WHO WHY? or WHY?
You're wiggling or it's pulling out to a "y" hand. WHY or WHY
Okay let's talk about "wh" questions. Whenever you are signing a question that requires a response
of who, what, when, where, why, which, or how you are going to do this structure:
What is your name? YOU NAME WHAT YOU
Notice that "wh" word is at the end of the sentence.
Here's another example. In an English sentence, you would say, "Where is my book?" But in ASL,
you will sign: MY BOOK WHERE?
Notice the "wh" sign is at the end of the sentence, my eyebrows are down,
and I'm leaning forward and pausing. When you are signing a question that requires
a yes/no response, you need to follow this structure:
YOU LIKE ICE CREAM YOU? Notice my eyebrows are going up,
I am leaning forward, and pointing back to the person and pausing.
This is showing how to do the correct structure in ASL when you are needing a yes/no response.
YOU LIKE HIM? YOU LIKE HIM?
My eyebrows are up, because I'm asking a yes/no question.
Between football and basketball, which is your favorite?
YOU PREFER FOOTBALL BASKETBALL WHICH?
Comparing between the two, and putting the which at the end of the sentence.
Who is your teacher? YOUR TEACHER WHO?
Where is my book? MY BOOK WHERE?
Are you enjoying studying ASL? YOU ENJOY STUDY ASL?
Okay you just learned how to sign two different kinds of questions in ASL.
Each of these steps that I shared with you are essential when signing a correct ASL question,
so take what you learned today and practice it with your friends and family.
Until next time, keep learning how to sign.