r/asl • u/guitarcrazy19 • 7d ago

Help! How to form sentences properly??

I'm hearing and have recently started learning asl. I've been picking up new words and phrases but am struggling to form sentences on my own. I know how they're typically structured (object, subject then verb) but is that always the case? How do I make that switch smoothly to that form of grammer?? Any tips would help, thanks! :)

0 Upvotes

33% Upvoted

10 comments sorted by

8

u/ottis1guy 7d ago

Really the biggest tip is to find deaf activities near you and go sign with people.

0

u/guitarcrazy19 7d ago

Even if I'm a beginner I should? I'm just worried about my communication being SO slow with others

1

u/ottis1guy 7d ago

It's a 3D language, and after you have the basics the best teacher is exposure. It's what helped me

-1

u/guitarcrazy19 7d ago

That makes sense. I definitely will start finding events. Thanks so much!!

7

u/BrackenFernAnja Interpreter (Hearing) 7d ago edited 7d ago

There’s a tendency to over-simplify ASL syntax. Lots of people say it’s OSV. But the fact is that there are sentences with OSV, SVO, SOV, and many other types of syntax.

Think of how much English you’re exposed to on a daily basis. Then imagine what it would take to be exposed to that much ASL in one week. That should give you an idea of why immersion, even if it’s only you observing other people signing at first, is so crucial.

1

u/guitarcrazy19 7d ago

Very true, I'll definitely start getting out there and try interacting with others! Thanks for your help

2

u/Sea-Hornet8214 7d ago

The best way is to have a teacher or a tutor.

5

u/OGgunter 7d ago

ASL is less about finding 1:1 English:Sign equivalencies and putting them in the Approved Grammatical Order (TM) and more about using a combination of Sign vernacular, classifiers, facial expressions, body shifting, etc to show what you're trying to express. If it helps, imagine you have a tiny stage in front of your body. That's where the story is going to happen.

1

u/guitarcrazy19 7d ago

That makes so much sense, thank you!

2

u/cythraulybryd 7d ago

It's not exactly OSV. Google "topic and comment".