CAL - Tense in American Sign Language (Lesson)

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Tense in American Sign Language

While English verbs are regularly conjugated to show tense and number, ASL does not have endings or modified verbs, such as -ed or -ing.  Instead, ASL uses tense indicator signs to indicate the past, present, or future tense.

Lady silhouette with words Long Ago, A while ago, past ago previously before, recently yesterday, soon tomorrow, later will future, someday, far into the future, past, present, future

In many cases, you need to place time indicators at the beginning of the sentence to set up the tense AND raise eyebrows. 

man with raised eyebrows

If there is no time indicator in the sentence, the sentence is assumed to be in the present tense. 

Tense Indicator (TI) Rules

1. Time indicators begin phrases at the beginning of the topic phrase or at the comment phrase.
If a tense indicator appears at the beginning of the topic phrase, tense indicator signs tend to be held for a moment before the comment is made.
 
Example:  LAST-WEEK, TV ME BUY
If the tense indicator appears at the beginning of the comment phrase, there is no hold on the tense indicator signs.

Example: TV,  LAST-WEEK ME BUY

2. General to specific
When two or more time indicators are combined together, the most general sign is given first, then the next most general, and lastly the most specific sign.
Example: LAST-WEEK, TUESDAY AFTERNOON, TIME 9, TV ME BUY

Types of Tense Indicators

There are 2 types of Tense Indicators - Specific Tense Indicators (STI) and General Tense Indicators (GTI)

Specific Time Indicators General Time Indicators 
yesterday before
tomorrow ago
last year, next year, this year now
exact dates (ex. July 4, 1776) will
clock time (ex. 5:00 pm) later
everyday all day, all night

Tense Indicator Placement

Specific Tense Indicators will ALWAYS be at the beginning of your ASL sentence.

 

Example: YESTERDAY, PRACTICE I GO

 

General Tense Indicators will USUALLY go at the end of your ASL sentence.

Example: I GO PRACTICE, LATER

 

Aspect Markers - Indicate whether an event is viewed as being completed or not.

FINISH

I have eaten.

EXAMPLE: ME EAT FINISH ME

 

NOT-YET

I haven't eaten.

EXAMPLE: ME EAT NOT-YET ME

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