---
title: asl — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «asl» in the school dictionary: ASL stands for American Sign Language, the language of hand signs, faces and body movements used by many Deaf people in the USA and parts of Canada. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

<!-- md -->
[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/asl/)

<!-- crumbs -->
[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [dictionaries](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/) / [school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/) / [A](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/) / asl

# asl

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** ASL, old chat question, strangers, She, you, British Sign Language · **What happens:** stand, use, be, mean, find out, learn · **To what, where:** body movements, old chat question, age, asl, own grammar, names · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«asl» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 6 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [asl in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/asl.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
ASL stands for American Sign Language, the language of hand signs, faces and body movements used by many Deaf people in the USA and parts of Canada.

<!-- fold The tree, 27 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:asl:m1:1
# text = ASL stands for American Sign Language, the language of hand signs, faces and body movements used by many Deaf people in the USA and parts of Canada.
1	ASL	asl	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	stands	stand	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	for	for	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
4	American	American	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
5	Sign	Sign	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	Language	Language	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	language	language	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	appos	_	_
10	of	of	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	hand	hand	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	compound	_	_
12	signs	sign	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
14	faces	face	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	conj	_	_
15	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	17	cc	_	_
16	body	body	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	compound	_	_
17	movements	movement	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	conj	_	_
18	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	17	acl	_	_
19	by	by	ADP	IN	_	22	case	_	_
20	many	many	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	22	amod	_	_
21	Deaf	deaf	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	22	amod	_	_
22	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	18	obl:agent	_	_
23	in	in	ADP	IN	_	25	case	_	_
24	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	25	det	_	_
25	USA	USA	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	22	nmod	_	_
26	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	27	cc	_	_
27	parts	part	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	25	conj	_	_
28	of	of	ADP	IN	_	29	case	_	_
29	Canada	Canada	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	27	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
30	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **stand** | present | ASL |  |  |  |  | for American Sign Language | vn admire-31.2 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Experiencer for language=Attribute |
| 2 | **use** | participle |  | body movements *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: internet slang — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«asl» is an old chat question meaning «age, sex, location?» — strangers online use it to find out about you.

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:asl:m2:1
# text = «asl» is an old chat question meaning «age, sex, location?» — strangers online use it to find out about you.
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	asl	asl	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
5	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
6	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
7	chat	chat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	question	question	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
9	meaning	mean	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	8	acl	_	_
10	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	age	age	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
13	sex	sex	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
15	location	location	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	11	punct	_	_
18	—	-	PUNCT	:	_	19	punct	_	_
19	strangers	stranger	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	21	nsubj	_	_
20	online	online	ADV	RB	_	21	advmod	_	_
21	use	use	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	parataxis	_	_
22	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	21	obj	_	_
23	to	to	PART	TO	_	24	mark	_	_
24	find	find	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	21	advcl	_	_
25	out	out	ADP	RP	_	24	compound:prt	_	_
26	about	about	ADP	IN	_	27	case	_	_
27	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	24	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
28	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | asl | a old chat question |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **mean** | gerund | a old chat question *not said here* | age and sex and location |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent age=Topic |
| 3 | **use** | present | strangers | asl |  |  |  | online *property* | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Patient |
| 4 | **find out** | to-infinitive | strangers *not said here* |  |  |  |  | about you | vn learn-14-2-1 «NP V PP.topic»: agent=Agent about you=Topic |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She is learning ASL to talk with her deaf cousin.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:asl:x1:1
# text = She is learning ASL to talk with her deaf cousin.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	learning	learn	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
4	ASL	ASL	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	talk	talk	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	advcl	_	_
7	with	with	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
8	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	10	nmod:poss	_	_
9	deaf	deaf	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	cousin	cousin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **learn** | present · progressive | She | ASL |  |  |  |  | vn learn-14-2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent asl=Topic |
| 2 | **talk** | to-infinitive | She *not said here* |  |  |  |  | with ASL's deaf cousin | vn talk-37.5 «NP V PP.co-agent»: agent=Agent with cousin=Co-Agent |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
ASL has its own grammar, not the same as English.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:asl:x2:1
# text = ASL has its own grammar, not the same as English.
1	ASL	asl	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
4	own	own	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	grammar	grammar	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
7	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	9	advmod	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	same	same	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	conj	_	_
10	as	as	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	English	English	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | ASL | ASL's own grammar |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent grammar=Patient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In ASL, you can spell names with finger signs.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:asl:x3:1
# text = In ASL, you can spell names with finger signs.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	ASL	ASL	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
5	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
6	spell	spell	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
7	names	name	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obj	_	_
8	with	with	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	finger	finger	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	compound	_	_
10	signs	sign	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **spell** | can | you | names |  | ASL |  | with finger signs | vn pronounce-29.3.1 «NP V NP PP.manner»: agent=Agent name=Theme in asl=Manner |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
British Sign Language is different from ASL.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:asl:x4:1
# text = British Sign Language is different from ASL.
1	British	British	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
2	Sign	Sign	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	Language	Language	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
5	different	different	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
6	from	from	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	ASL	ASL	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | British Sign Language |  |  | ASL |  | different *property* | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A stranger typed «asl?» in the game chat, so I told my mum.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:asl:x5:1
# text = A stranger typed «asl?» in the game chat, so I told my mum.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	stranger	stranger	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	typed	type	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	asl	asl	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	5	punct	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
10	game	game	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	compound	_	_
11	chat	chat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
13	so	so	ADV	RB	_	15	advmod	_	_
14	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	15	nsubj	_	_
15	told	tell	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
16	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	17	nmod:poss	_	_
17	mum	mum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	iobj	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **type** | past | a stranger | asl |  | the game chat |  |  | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent asl=Theme in chat=Destination |
| 2 | **tell** *speech: assert* | past | I |  | my mum |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent mum=Recipient |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Never tell strangers online your age or where you live.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:asl:x6:1
# text = Never tell strangers online your age or where you live.
1	Never	never	ADV	RB	PronType=Neg	2	advmod	_	_
2	tell	tell	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	strangers	stranger	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	iobj	_	_
4	online	online	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
5	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	age	age	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
7	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
8	where	where	ADV	WRB	PronType=Rel	10	advmod	_	_
9	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
10	live	live	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **tell** *speech: assert* | imperative | you *not said here* | your age | strangers |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP-Dative NP»: agent=Agent stranger=Recipient age=Topic |
| 2 | **live** | present | you |  |  |  |  |  | vn exist-47.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

<!-- pn -->
- ← previous: [askance](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/askance/)
- next →: [asleep](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/asleep/)
- ↑ back to [A in school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/)