The Auslan Dictionary for Teachers, Parents and Professionals

The Auslan Dictionary for Teachers Parents and professionals includes over 2000 signs, each clearly illustrated in line art! 

There is also an extensive alphabetical index of over 10,000 English words.

Australia's most user friendly Auslan Dictionary - with images, photos, descriptions on how to perform the sign, usage notes and national dialects

The release of this book was a momentous step forward for Auslan (Australian Sign Language) in Australia; and sees a significant improvement on dictionaries of the past.

This dictionary remains the only one to include :

• descriptions of how to do the signs,
• vital context notes that allow you to understand WHEN you should use the sign and
• lexicological information to help you understand why the sign is what it is.

For example there are two listings for can: One represents a can of drink; the other "I can ...". This information is crucial and set the first edition of this dictionary apart in 2009.

What really sets this dictionary apart, and has made it so popular with parents, teachers, TAFE lecturers and students alike is the inclusion of clear descriptions of how to perform the signs, context notes and hints to help you remember the signs. The first edition in 2009 won the prestigious hearing awareness award in 2010 for Most popular Auslan Dictionary. The 2012 edition is bigger, better, and already turning heads.

Over 1000 new signs.
This new edition of the dictionary documents over 1000 new signs, including a large array of modern technology signs like upload, download and iPad. Plus lots of new gaming terms, like wii, MMO and AFK. These are especially important for younger generations; who so often find gaming and technology a link to social inclusion and peer relationships that can be especially difficult when communication barriers exist.

Over 500 old signs re-illustrated.
This dictionary sees an improved style of illustrations, so that second handshapes and end positions are now highlighted in a box, like the "Auslan" sign example pictured right; to help clarify these signs and make learning easier.

Expanded Introductory section
This dictionary also expands the introduction sections to include more information about fingerspelling, numbers, ordinals, cardinals and modified numbers; areas that have been shown to provide some degree of confusion for novice signers.

All new Lexicology and Linguistics sections
In addition to the ground breaking listing format that has made learning easier; this dictionary also includes an extensive introduction to Lexicology (why a word/sign has its meaning), and Linguistics (how words come together in sentences) sections.

Within this section we explain how handshapes, locations and movements are more than just parts of the sign, they are vital contributors to the meaning as well. Lee Bilby is the first, to explore Auslan lexicology at this level of detail, although the work did begin with the British Deaf Associations' BSL dictionary in 1992.

At A Glance:
No of Unique Signs: 2100
Order: Signs are in alphabetical order
Index: A thorough 6000+ English word index appears at the back of the book.
Pages: 366 pages
ISBN: 9781921391811
Size and binding: This book is 29 x 20.5 x 2 cm. It is perfect bound (glued spine)

Please be aware that this is an dictionary for adults and does include 'Adult Words' including those of a sexual nature. These are important for sexual awareness education of children, and thus have been included. For children, we recommend our range of Children's Picture Dictionaries here

It is perfect bound (glue spine) and 295  x 205 mm in size and weighs just over a kilo.