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Index
Introduction
About This Book
Conventions Used in This Book
Foolish Assumptions
How This Book Is Organised
Part I: Starting to Sign
Part II: Everyday BSL
Part III: Getting Out and About
Part IV: Looking into Deaf Life
Part V: The Part of Tens
Part VI: Appendixes
Icons Used in This Book
Where to Go from Here
Part I
Chapter 1: Discovering Who's Who - And How They Communicate
Different Groups of Deaf People
Who's dumb?
Understanding who's who
. . . And how do they communicate?
Attracting a Deaf Person's Attention?
Touching on the arm or shoulder
Waving
Stamping on the floor
Switching the light on and off
Watch My Lips!
Chapter 2: Sign Language You Didn't Know You Knew
Signs That Make Sense
Gestures
How do you sign this word?
How does BSL create new signs?
Making It Clear with Body Language
Let Me Spell It Out: Finger-spelling
Left or right?
Watch my lips - not my fingers
Now you see it, now you don't
Funny Faces
Using funny faces
No! Not me!
Oh yes!
Are you happy?
Getting Your Hands into Shape
What is a hand shape?
Simple Sentences: Sign Order
Chronological order
Question forms
Part II
Chapter 3: Meeting and Greeting
Greetings! Starting a Conversation
Asking questions: Who? What? Why? When? Where? Which? How?
WH questions (open)
Yes/no questions (closed)
Rhetorical questions
Getting to Know You
What's in a Name?
Where do you live?
So Long, Farewell, Auf Wiedersehen, Goodbye
Chapter 4: Knowing Me, Knowing You
Don't Point! It's Rude! Or Is It?
Telling Others about Yourself
Family and friends
Talking about your job
Discussing your workplace
Chapter 5 : Expressing Your Feelings
How's Life? Talking about Your Feelings
You OK? Talking about your health
Where does it hurt?
Just take one of these
999 Emergency
Chapter 6: Nailing Numbers
Explaining Regional Signs
Numbers? Count me in
Who's first?
Telling the time
Talking about money
Asking someone's age
Chapter 7 : Describing Weather, Colour, and Clothes
Signing Come Rain, Come Shine
Describing Colours
Developing Dress Sense
Eyeing up everyday clothes
Mentioning the unmentionables
Wrapping up winter warmth
Putting a spring in your signs
Summer sun (if you're lucky)
Part III
Chapter 8 : Getting from A to B
Signing Space
Placement of signs
Prepositions
How Do I Get To . . .?
Getting to and from work
Location, location, location
Looking out for local landmarks
Countryside landmarks
Out on the Town
Chapter 9 : Arranging Not So Blind Dates
Getting Tense about Time
Arranging to Meet
Today's the day
When shall we meet?
Mastering months
Special Celebrations
Chapter 10 : Fancy Fish and Chips?
On Today's Menu
Which knife and fork to use?
Want breakfast?
Grabbing a quick lunch
Tea, a drink with jam and bread
What's for dinner?
Eating Out
Take-away food
Fancy a drink anyone?
Chapter 11: Making the Most of Your Free Time
Having Fun with Leisure Activities
Getting Sporty
Playing Indoor Games
Having Fun with Hobbies
Part IV
Chapter 12 : Deaf Community and Culture
Digging Into the History of BSL
Exploring the Origins of Deaf Education
Deaf 1880 Milan conference
The oral method
Enlightenment at last!
The Social Side of the Deaf World
Discovering Deaf clubs
Embracing the new
Access for Deaf people - Language Service Professionals (LSPs)
Investigating interpreters
Communicators/Communication Support Workers (CSWs)
Lipspeakers
Manual notetakers
Electronic note-takers
Palantypist/speech-to-text reporter (STTR)
LSP etiquette
Chapter 13: Technology and Modifications for Deaf People
Keeping in Touch
Minicoms and Text-phones
Type-Talk and Text-Direct
SMS
Fax machines
Email
Videophones/webcams
Wakey-wakey! Flashing Lights and Vibrating Alarms
Somebody at the door
Fire! Fire!/Baby's crying!
Wake-up call
Part V
Chapter 14: Ten Top Tips To Improve Your Signing Skills
Watch My Face
RSVP Please
Showing the Sign!
Spotting the Difference
Being Honest
Mirror, Mirror, on the Wall
Being a Film Star
Keeping a Record
Hare or Tortoise?
The Way of the World
Chapter 15: Ten Top Tips For Good Communication
Get an Attitude
Lights, Camera . . . Action!
Does He Take Sugar?
Get Body-Conscious
What's the Point?
Keep Clear - Access Required
Be Environmentally Friendly
One at a Time Please!
English versus BSL
Don't Give Up!
Chapter 16: Ten Top BSL Resources
Honing Your Skills at BSL Classes
Attending a Communication Club
Going to Deaf Pubs
Taking a Trip to the Theatre or Cinema
Attending Deaf Workshops and Conferences
Watching BSL Signed DVDs
Taking in TV Programmes
Wising Up to Websites
Weighing Up Webcams
Making Deaf Friends
Chapter 17: Ten Really Useful Phrases
How Are You?
You All Right?
Again, Please
I'm Sorry
I Don't Understand
Do You Need Help?
That's Right!
That's Bad/Wrong!
Excuse Me
See You Around/Soon!
Chapter 18: Ten Things You (Probably) Didn't Know about Deaf Culture and History
British Sign Language (BSL)
St John of Beverley
Early Signs of Sign Language
Vows of Silence
To Read and Write - Right?
Finger-spelling Circa 1720
Give Us a Bell
Deaf Church to Department Store
The Queen Amused Others
Deaf to the Crowd
Part VI
Appendix A: Answer Key to Fun & Games
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Cheatsheet
The BSL Alphabet
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
Essential Expressions
Hello (formal)
Hello (informal)
Goodbye
I'm Sorry
I don't understand
How are you?
Numbers 1-10
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Open Questions
What?
When?
Why?
Where?
Who?
Which?
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