Glossing in ASL

DASHES or fs

qm-w

IX

Dashes between letters generally means to

fingerspell the word. 

The letters "fs" are sometimes used as a

shorthand for "fingerspell."

 is the notation for "INDEX" or

pointing toward a certain location, object, or

person.

"QM-wiggle" is the notation used for a question mark.

That is the process of holding an "x" hand up at

the end of a sentence and wiggling the index finger (flexing it a few times).

Example

B-U-S

fs BUS

PRO.1  /  PRO.2  /  PRO.3

CL

Refers to a "classifier.”

3-CL ("additional information goes here.)

Example: 3-CL: "goes uphill"

"first person," "second person," and "third person" pronouns.

PRO.1 means "I or me.

PRO.2 means "you." 

PRO.3 means "he, she, him, or her."

Glossing

You might see a "classifier 3" glossed

"CL-3" or "CL:3."

in ASL

QUIZ

REMEMBER

#

The GLOSS of an ASL sign doesn't equal "English."

1. What is another name for the rules that researchers have generally agreed upon for typical or standard ways to do things?

2. What term means choosing an appropriate English word for signs in order to write them down?

3. List some sample conventions of glossing:

4. When glossing, what do we represent with small capital letters preceded by the # symbol?

5. What do we call the facial expressions that accompany certain signs?

6. What kind of features are indicated on a line above sign glosses?

7. When glossing, what do we use “small capital letters" in English to represent?

8. When glossing, what is represented by dashes between small capital letters?

9. What are some glossed examples of lexicalized fingerspellling?

Indicates the lexicalization of a fingerspelled word.

#ALL, #WHAT, #BUSY)

When you "lexicalize" a fingerspelled word, you

mutate the spelling so that it is produced more like a sign than a fingerspelled word.

EXAMPLES

The sign glossed as "FINE" doesn't mean

all of the things that the English word "fine"

means.

Don’t use the sign FINE to sign

"I paid the fine for my ticket."

The sign glossed as "GLASSES" also

means:

• Gallaudet University
• Thomas Gallaudet

Bring the answers to class please!

What is the difference between "writing in a language" and "glossing of a language" ?

ASL Glossing Notations

When you gloss, you are not trying to interpret a language, you are attempting to transcribe it. 

Your goal is to represent the language in text form, word for word.

When you write one language in another, the written information is known as "gloss."

This include various notations to account for the facial and body grammar that goes with the signs.

We are "glossing ASL."

"+" When you see a plus symbol

repeat the sign.

"!"  When a sign gloss has an "!" exclamation point after it

you should emphasize the sign

Sign it a bit faster, stronger, or more exaggerated than normal.

The target language may not have equivalent

words to represent the original language.

Glossing allows students to make notes in their

own language regarding the second language. 

English to ASL gloss.