Learning sentence structures / how to sign basic sentences in ASL || Blog Post #4

"Grammar" is a set of rules for using a language. These rules guide users in the correct speaking or signing of a language. Now that I know basic vocabulary, today I will learn the basic grammar for ASL to put the words I've learned together. 

"ASL follows several different "word orders" depending on what is needed. Which word order you choose depends on your audience's familiarity with the topic and what you are trying to do: explain, remind, confirm, negate, cause to consider. 

A.    If you use the subject as your topic, then you are using an active voice.

BOY THROW BALL.                   The boy threw the ball.

B.     If you use the object as your topic, then you are using a passive voice.

BALL, BOY THROW.                  The ball was thrown by the boy.

Note that the active voice is in Subject-Verb-Object word order:   BOY THROW BALL.  The passive voice is in Object, Subject-Verb word order:  BALL BOY THROW. 

Both of the aforementioned sentences are in Topic-Comment format.  As we’ve already established, the topic is what you are talking about and the comment makes observations about that topic.  Topic is for the first item mentioned in a sentence (whether it is the subject or object) and the comment is the latter, and it makes a comment about the topic.  So let’s take a look at those sentences again:

A.    Active Voice, using the subject as your topic.

BOY THROW BALL.                   Topic: BOY  Comment:  THROW BALL

What is the topic?  Boy What is the comment saying about the boy?  He threw the ball.

B.     Passive Voice, using the object as your topic.

BALL, BOY THROW.                  Topic: BALL Comment:  BOY THROW

What is the topic?  Ball What is the comment saying about the ball?  It was thrown by the boy.

So, as you can see, the topic can be either a subject or an object.  Now that we’ve established the topic can be a "BOY" or it can be the "BALL" he is throwing, and it can either be the subject or object of the sentence.  

A.    The BOY can be:

·        The subject of the sentence:  BOY THROW BALL.

·        The object of the sentence: BALL, HIT BOY.

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B.     The BALL can be:

·        The subject of the sentence:  BALL, HIT BOY.

·        The object of the sentence: BOY THROW BALL."

I found this information at this link : http://www.lifeprint.com/asl101/pages-layout/grammar.htm

I also used this video: