Intermediate I

Describing a room with classifiers

This tutorial shows you how to describe a room, using the right perspective, classifiers for objects (i.e. furniture and items), and mouth morphemes.

Perspective

The perspective when describing a room is from the signer's eye. The listener has to see through the signer's eye.

The starting point is usually from the door where one enters a room. Sign ENTER+ROOM and then describe the room. If it's a kitchen, sign ENTER+KITCHEN. Or, ENTER+BEDROOM for a bedroom.

Common classifier handshapes

ASL classifiers

The handshape looks like this image above but its palm orientation is horizontal, not upright. It can represent a group of furniture pieces such as a chair, a toilet, and a rocking chair.

ASL classifiers

The classifier, using the handshape like this, is used to represent such objects as a picture and a window.

But, in real life, the ASL speakers don't use this descriptive classifier for a window. Instead, we sign WINDOW in a particular space of the room, except for other sizes of windows. Likewise for FIREPLACE.

The classifier, using a handshape like this with the palm orientation facing down, is used to represent some furniture pieces such as a bed, a table, and a coffee table.

Examples

There is so much practice and exercise to become comfortable with describing a room that it cannot cover everything here. For example, how does one start and determine where to go next and next in a room? There are so many strategies and it would take a lot of practice in person with a teacher or a tutor. Nevetheless, here are some tips and ideas for a starter.

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New to sign language? "Where do I start?" or "How do I start learning sign language?" This ASL Rookie guide lists some selected links to the tutorials for ASL beginners to get started and keep rolling. It may be a useful review for intermediate-level learners and ASL students as well.

Some tutorial pages are a mix of free and premium versions. Access to premium content and links below are available in the PatronPlus subscription. More links/posts will be added from time to time.

Jump-starting

  1. How to fingerspell ABCs
  2. What is and what is not sign language?

Getting started

  1. Benefits of learning sign language
  2. Awareness quiz and Reflections
  3. Basic transcription symbols (glosses)

Language/Culture Fundamentals

  1. What is American Sign Language?
  2. Understanding variations
  3. Introducing audism
  4. Cultural appropriation

Learning first words

  1. Expressing greetings
  2. Introducing oneself and others
  3. Fingerspelling exercise
  4. Expressing goodbyes

ASL Basics

  1. Personal Pronouns
  2. Possessive Pronouns
  3. WH-questions
  4. Yes/no questions
  5. SVO sentence structure
  6. OSV sentence structure
  7. Numbers 1-10+
  8. Basic time: future, present, past

ASL Basics II

  1. Asking what the sign is for a word
  2. Spatial referencing
  3. Verb inflections
  4. Contrastive structure
  5. Listing and Ranking
  6. Classifier basics

Describing shapes

  1. Describing shapes + perspective
  2. Describing shapes + locations
  3. Describing shapes + sizes

Expressing needs and wants

  1. Making commands or requests

Talking about family

  1. Talking about family and pet
  2. Telling age
  3. Telling date

Making basic plans

  1. Review basic tenses
  2. Calendar: DAYS
  3. Calendar: MONTHS
  4. Transportation: basics

Shopping

  1. Telling prices in dollars and cents

Talking about activities

  1. Frequency of time: how often?

Are you able to carry everyday conversations in ASL? Are you a student in the intermediate levels and beyond, who wishes to boost up your signing skills? You've come to the selected tutorial series. (Some premium content are available to PatronPlus membership.)

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