Linguistics of American Sign Language: An Introduction, 4th Ed.

This book is great. It's easy reading and I don't get bored. It covers ALOT of information, but the homework activities included help absorb the information. It challenges your thinking.

I do suggest that you only read this book if you are really serious about being fluent in ASL. Me, I read it because I want to be an interpreter, so it's essential and required for my class. So if fluidity is what you want, then maybe have beginning ASL done. In my class it is required that I have finished the intermediate level.

The Linguistics of American Sign Language explains the morphology and syntax of ASL, not so much the 'how' as the 'why.' This book is useful for the advanced student of ASL, but not particularly helpful for a beginner. The authors, all current or former professors at Gallaudet University, explain in great detail the nuances of American Sign Language.

This is a very nice book very informative but more what makes up ASL than how to sign ASL. So if you're looking for what makes up ASL this is your book, but if you're looking for how to form complex sentences and how words inflect this isn't it. But I supposed that's my fault for assuming linguistics=syntax. :D

Written by the team of Clayton Valli, Ceil Lucas (Professor of Linguistics in the department of Linguistics as Gallaudet University), and Kristin J. Mulroney (Assistant Professor of Linguistics in the Department of Linguistics as Gallaudet University), Linguistics of American Sign Language is an in-depth reference and resource for intermediate to expert linguistic students, scholars and professionals, now in an updated fourth edition with an accompanying course DVD. The fourth edition of Linguistics of American Sign Language features an entirely revised section on morphology and syntax, the latest research on main categories of verbs in ASL, insight into artistic forms of ASL such as singing, drama, and poetry, 18 new and updated readings, and new suggested homework assignments based on the DVD, and much more. The first half of the text focuses on the nuts-and-bolts grammar and dissection of ASL; the second half is devoted to supplemental readings by a variety of learned authors, discussing nuances of ASL and its usage, variations in linguistic structure, sub-communities of the deaf such as the black deaf community, and much more. Simple black-and-white diagrams illustrate this definitive linguistic compendium and college-level education and consultation reference.