The American Sign Language Handshape Dictionary
This reference complements other American Sign Language (ASL) dictionaries by organizing signs by handshape rather than alphabetically by English word order. In so doing, it acts best as a recognition tool for the ASL learner, leading the user quickly to specific signs without having first to refer to an English-equivalent word. Multiple meanings of a single sign also allow deaf people to increase their English vocabulary. Like other ASL dictionaries, introductory material includes a brief synopsis of the history of sign language, the meaning and importance of the five parameters of a sign (handshape, orientation, location, movement, and nonmanual signals), grammatical rules, sign language variations (dialects), and finger-spelling principles. Tennant, a former mathematics instructor, and Gluszak Brown, a certified ASL interpreter, have provided a unique organization in their dictionary. But readers should note that a handshape is not a sign itself but rather a characteristic of a particular sign. Each individual sign presented in this dictionary is illustrated, paired with English-equivalent meaning(s), and described in terms of the five parameters, making it useful as a teaching reference as well as a recognition tool. A worthwhile complement to a public or academic library collection.?Andy Wickens, Univ. of Washington, SeattleCopyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.