01/25/2025
Aloha. Here is a summary of an ASL interpreted livestream of the Hawaiian Volcanoes Education and Resilience Institute's update of the erupting Kilauea Volcano, on the Island of Hawai'i.
**There is a transcript available if you open it up in YouTube.** 🌋 🤟🏼
Hawaiian Volcano Summary: Kīlauea Summit Eruption’s Episode 5 Begins & Ends
Today marks one month since Kīlauea’s latest eruption began at its summit, its 6th summit eruption in just over 4 years. Since last week, this eruption ended...
02/28/2024
As an ASL enthusiast, teacher and interpreter, I find that ASL is truly for anyone and believe that anyone can learn to use sign language, if they want to. Such is the beauty of language, learn and practice and apply, while having a great interaction in doing so! Sign on! 🤙 - - Dano
12/07/2023
HANUKKAH is signed with both hands, using the 4-handshape. The Palm orientation for both hands faces away from your body. You begin the sign with the index fingers (and thumbs) touching one another and the movement separates with a slight underarch, depicting eight candles. Even though there are nine candles slots on a Hanukkah menorah, both hands are representing the eight candles for the 8 nights of the festival. 🕎
11/20/2023
Wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving! 🦃😊👪
10/06/2023
I've enjoyed interpreting music and signing songs in ASL for many, many years. Here is a signed version of a song that I interpreted on stage with Michael Franti. At the time I was practicing with a friend of mine and we shot this video during rehearsals for the Michael Franti concert. Enjoy!
Dano Kaufmann - Say Hey (I Love You) - In ASL *Take 2*
Dano Kaufmann Interprets into Sign Language the song "Say Hey (I Love You)" by Michael Franti & Spearhead. This is the take 2.
10/05/2023
Fingerspelling is a component of ASL where certain handshapes correspond with the specific letters of the English alphabet. Fingerspelling is used to spell out proper names (person, place, or object being designated by a noun or noun phrase). There are variations for how to sign particular letters of the manual alphabet. Fingerspelling can be used to clarify a sign's meaning and to spell words for the signs that the signer does not know. ASL, it's for Anyone! ASL with Dano
*photo courtesy of lifeprint.com*
09/04/2023
https://forms.gle/LpaaCBKkYzckUqkb7
Aloha. Are you an ASL student?
Are you curious about taking this short quiz to test your knowledge about some ASL concepts?
This is a free quiz that was designed using Google Forms.
How well do you know some of the basic concepts of ASL?
If can, can. If no can, no worries.
Mahalo - ASL with Dano
ASL with Dano - A Short Quiz about ASL Concepts
Ready to quiz yourself about some ASL concepts? Take this short quiz to find out.
08/21/2023
The "B+" symbol is linguistically used to represent the "Open-B Handshape." It is the flat open hand where the fingers are straight and touching, while the thumb is extended. It is also known as the Variant-B handshape, Closed-5, or Open-Hand. This Open-B (B+) Handshape accounts for roughly 26% of the ASL handshape usage. It is therefore the most used handshape in American Sign Language. Think of the signs for: PAPER, SCHOOL, PLEASE, THANK-YOU, HELLO, MINE, YOURS, as a few examples. All of these are signs using the Open-B Handshape. 😊 Pretty cool tidbit to know. ASL, it's for Anyone! --ASL with Dano
08/17/2023
There are Five Parameters in ASL. One of the Five Parameters of ASL is NMS - Non Manual Signals. Sometimes referred to as NMM - Non Manual Markers. There are two categories of NMS: 1) Facial Expressions, and 2) Body Language. ASL grammar is found on the face and 90% of the language is on the face! Therefore, Non Manual Signals are a crucial component of American Sign Language. ASL, it's for Anyone! --ASL with Dano