Day 12: ASL Gloss

Goal

Understand ASL Gloss as a bridge label.

Learn

• ASL Gloss is a written notation that represents signs using labels. It is commonly written in uppercase, but conventions vary by project.
• Gloss is not full ASL and not full English. It is a bridge that helps connect sign video to a machine-readable label sequence.
• Gloss can leave out facial grammar, timing, spatial structure, classifier detail, and context unless the annotation system includes extra notes.

Example

• English: What is your name?
• Possible gloss-style note: YOUR NAME WHAT? with a yes/no or wh-question facial marker depending on the exact sentence.
• Fingerspelling may be noted with hyphens, such as R-A-L-P-H.

Practice

1. Write one simple English sentence.
2. Create a possible gloss-style representation.
3. Add one note for facial expression, role shift, or timing that gloss alone might not capture.

Checkpoint

Deaf-first note