It is the third most commonly used language in North America. It has its own beauty, its own unmistakable form, and its own inherent culture. It is American Sign, the language of the deaf. Now, Gabriel Grayson, teacher extraordinaire, has put together a book that makes signing accessible, easy, and fun. Using more than 1,400 photographs, he has created a comprehensive primer to the techniques, words, and phrases of signing. Each word is accompanied by a photo or series of photos that show hand, face, and body expressions. And along with each image is text that details every movement. The book begins by looking at the history and nature of both the language and the deaf community. Next, it explains the basics of signing, including the alphabet, numbers, physical movements, and facial expressions. The balance of the book provides a complete guide to words in sign language. Throughout the book, the author has included informative insets that focus on fascinating aspects of deaf history, culture, language, and trivia. Inset topics include how sign language got its start in baseball; how signing differs around the world; the latest advances in electronic communications for the deaf; and much more. Although Gabriel Grayson can hear, he is uniquely qualified to have authored this book. Born to parents who were both totally deaf, Grayson's first means of trained communication was sign language. The inspirational story of his childhood was first the subject of a published article, and then the basis for a moving ABC made-for-television movie. Professor Grayson is the chairperson of the Department of Sign Language at New School University in New York City. In addition, he is a principal court-appointed sign language interpreter for the NYC judicial system. As such, he has been involved in over 1,000 criminal cases as an advocate and interpreter. Gabriel Grayson also conducts sign language tours at the American Museum of Natural History for a

The first volume in the new Sociolinguistics in Deaf Communities series presents a rich collection of essays showcasing the breadth and depth of this exciting discipline. Topics of inquiry in the premiere volume include fingerspelling in Langue des Signes Quebecoise (LSQ) in Quebec, Canada; language used by a Navajo family with deaf children; language policy, classroom practice, and multiculturalism in deaf education; aspects of American Sign Language (ASL) discourse and of Filipino Sign Language discourse; and the nature and role of rhetorical language in Deaf social movements. Among the noted contributors are Dominique Machabee, Arlene Blumenthal-Kelly, Jeffrey Davis, Melanie Metzger, Samuel Supalla, Barbara Gerner de Garcia, Liza B. Martinez, Kathy Jankowski, and also Ceil Lucas. Sociolinguistics in Deaf Communities affords an invaluable opportunity to assess up-to-date information on sign language linguistics worldwide and its impact on policy and planning in education, interaction with spoken languages, interpreting, and the issues of empowerment.

From intrapersonal communication to face-to-face interactions, public addresses to computer-mediated communication, nonverbal communication lays a foundation for understanding what is important to effective message development, transmission, and understanding via nonverbal codes and subcodes. The seventh edition of Nonverbal Communication: Studies and Applications demonstrates the importance of nonverbal communication in all settings and all contexts. Readers learn the vital role nonverbal communication plays in everyday interactions, as well as nonverbal theories and practices that are key to becoming a better communicator. Nina-Jo Moore explores nonverbal communication through a unique sensory lens with a focus on how nonverbal communication is processed through our five senses. The text examines how different communication scholars approach the study of nonverbal communication, how our brains process this communication style, and other factors that affect how we use and interpret nonverbal messages, including age, cultural backgrounds, race, status differences, and sex and gender differences. The seventh edition features enhanced emphasis on the application of contemporary research findings, more than 175 new sources and studies, fresh and expanded material on computer-mediated communication, and an appendix that explains how to effectively conduct communication research.