How to Talk about Office Supplies with American Sign Language
Looking around your cubicle or office, you have many things to sign. American Sign Language (ASL) provides you with a way to communicate what office supplies you have, need, or want to a Deaf colleague or friend. Try the signs in this table.
You may find the sign for clock to be a bit tricky, but it’s really pretty simple. Touch your wrist where your watch is worn and then make both hands into manual C handshapes toward the wall.
The following sentences can give you a hand with some office items (and because office equipment doesn’t always work, signs exist for that, too):
English: The fax machine is busy.
Sign: F-A-X MACHINE — BUSY
English: The copy machine is broken.
Sign: COPY MACHINE — BROKE
English: My computer is frozen.
Sign: MY COMPUTER — FROZE
English: Where is the stapler?
Sign: STAPLER WHERE Q
English: Do we have enough paper?
Sign: PAPER ENOUGH HAVE Q
Language Phrases Glossary
accusative case
When noun or pronoun is the direct object of the verb of the sentence, you are required to switch to the accusative case ending.
Language Phrases Glossary
dative case
When noun or pronoun is the indirect object of the verb of the sentence, you are required to switch to the dative case ending.
Language Phrases Glossary
genitive case
When the noun or pronoun indicates possession, you are required switch to the genitive case ending.
Language Phrases Glossary
instrumental case
A Russian grammatical term that indicates that the noun or pronoun assist in the carrying out of an action, you are required to switch to the accusative case ending.
Language Phrases Glossary
interrogative
Words used to ask questions, such as who, what, when, where, and why.
Language Phrases Glossary
macron
A small, horizontal mark above the vowel that indicates a long vowel sound. Make the vowel sound like its name.
Language Phrases Glossary
nominative case
When noun or pronoun is the subject of the sentence, you are required to switch to the nominative case ending.
Language Phrases Glossary
prepositional case
A grammatical case that indicates that the noun or pronoun is the object of a preposition, you are required to switch to the accusative case ending. Used with the Russian prepositions: v (v; in), na (nah; on), o (oh; about), and ob (ohb; about).
