More Books for Philly

With less than a month before my trip to Philadelphia for the National Association of the Deaf conference, and several books still sitting on my desk waiting to be read, I’ve started to panic about what books I’m going to take with me.

When I first started learning American Sign Language, I got the books Talking With Your Hands, Listening With Your Eyes and Signing Illustrated.  They are both wonderful books, and I’ve learned a lot from them—but now I know most of the signs in them.  I also got a pocket-sized version of the latter book, The Pocket Dictionary of Signing, which I always take with me to class and any time I’m around Deaf signers.  As great as that little book is, I’ve found that it just doesn’t have enough of the words that I need to look up.

So for Christmas, I asked for the Unabridged American Sign Language Dictionary (a geeky request, I know!) and I have LOVED it.  It has 5600 signs, 1200 pages, a sturdy hardback cover, and weighs a whopping 3.2 pounds.  I refer to it at least once a day, as either Brandt or I ask, “What’s the sign for____?” and I immediately run off to consult it.  Its size and weight, unfortunately, keep it confined to my desk in the living room.  And I have recently realized—and started panicking over—there is no way I can take it with me to Philadelphia and carry it around with me all the time.

The solution, I think, is the paperback “Compact Edition” of the dictionary, which has 4500 signs (only 1100 less than the unabridged version), 600 pages (HALF the unabridged version), and only weighs 1.7 pounds.  A lady in my ASL class always brings hers and has never complained about it being too heavy or cumbersome, so I think I'll be fine carrying it around in my NAD totebag.

And as an added bonus, when I was reading reviews for the dictionary, I discovered The American Sign Language Phrase Book.  How could I not know that there was an ASL phrase book??  It has more than 500 phrases in ASL grammar on topics including health, family, school, sports, travel, religion, time, money, food and drink, small talk, the Internet, and Deaf Video Relay.  The selling point for me is the chapter on communicating about signing: “asking people to sign slower, indicating your fingerspelling ability, and requesting help with your fledgling skills.”

I only wish I had discovered this phrase book sooner, but at least it will keep me occupied in the airport and on the plane to Philly!