Also see: "ASL
Sentence Structure"
Lots of "ASL" teachers misuse the phrase "STORE I GO" as an example of typical
ASL grammar.
The "Store I go" syntax is an unfortunate myth. In real life the vast majority
of socially active native Deaf adult ASL signers in conversation with other
fluent signers just sign "I GO STORE."
The myth has been told so often and for so long (often by Hearing teachers of
ASL or even some young Deaf teachers that aren't all that great at ASL
themselves) that many people (who haven't lived in the Deaf Community for a
lifetime) believe it -- yet it simply isn't the case. While there are certainly
times when that sentence should be topicalized -- such situations are
comparatively rare to the extent that claiming otherwise is somewhat misleading.
For example, take a look at Zach Lotane (profoundly Deaf / fluent ASL signer) signing "if I should go store" and not
"store, I go."
https://youtu.be/Wum6gOvzzG0?t=724
Example from two fluent signers: https://youtu.be/q1pBu5HUXqM?t=327 Jill is
a fluent ASL signer (who is an interpreter, etc.) and her partner, Jenna, is Deaf.
Note how she doesn't sign "store, can enter" -- instead she signs "can enter
store." In another video on their channel (at the 742 second mark of VzlMqbeDZIQ
which is now private) Jenna (Deaf) signed "have to go other store." (The
point is that she did not sign: "other store, have
to go to."
We see Deaf fluent ASL signer Rogan Shannon signing, "I would go to a
thrift store" (I FUTURE LEAVE-(go out to) (fs)-THRIFT STORE...) -- not "store I go."
https://youtu.be/KM7WAmRn5AY?t=152
Chey Clearbrook (Deaf) here explaining how she signs "I go store" in ASL:
https://youtu.be/WSH8zf6nSkw?t=195
Notice how she uses a trendy / slang version of "GO" that starts with a claw
shape and transitions into an "S" shape? That along the lines of "bounce,
jet, bolt, split" and similar concepts in English such as "I'm outa here!"
Over time this version has become quite common but is more marked (complex) than the basic
GO sign.
We see Chey (Deaf) signing "every time I walk into a store..." -- not
"store, I walk into."
https://youtu.be/e5pVhQPsKr8?t=235
Remember, I've suggested to you that you will indeed find examples of Deaf
teaching the "STORE I GO" construction (spreading the myth) but I encourage you to also look for
examples of those *same* individuals discussing going to the store in a natural
setting when they are not thinking about it.
For example, Ryan (Deaf) has a video in which he taught the myth "STORE, I GO"
at ( https://youtu.be/7pCuqtdJSL4?t=524 ), yet in another video
(at:
https://youtu.be/E1-7f3E4UL8?t=722 ) when he isn't "thinking about it" he just
naturally signs "go store." Signing is his primary form of face to face
communication. The point here is that it is not uncommon for Deaf (or Hearing
ASL signers) to teach one thing but do something else in real life.
Many Deaf
have bought into the Object-Subject-Verb myth to the extent that they teach "store, I go" but in everyday real life ASL signing when they
aren't "thinking about it" those same people tend to just sign "I go store." (Not,
"Store, I go.") Here is another example, in which Ryan signs "we had to
go to the store" as (WE-2 MUST GO STORE) here:
https://youtu.be/9hgktOmJt9g?t=250
-- also see:
https://youtu.be/VSMiGIVjfQM?t=348
We see Alex Abenchuchan signing "GO STORE" (not STORE, GO) at:
https://youtu.be/r69gKTTkpbs?t=162
In a wonderful ASL rendition of the story "If you give a moose a muffin" -- the
signer signs "GO STORE"
https://youtu.be/LXKCDDnYm5Y?t=127
In the original posting of this article Deaf, fluent signer Channing Brown had a
video up in which she signed "going into a store" (not "store, going into).
That video is now "private" (at
https://youtu.be/7mX8wOzCgFY?t=68 ) so can't see it but the point remains
that when Deaf are not thinking about it we tend to just sign "I GO STORE" (not,
STORE, I GO). I mention this particular video in case any of the other videos
move or get shifted to private -- it doesn't really matter because these are not isolated
or rare instances -- rather they are real life examples of the type of signing
that goes on every day.
Conclusion:
Fluent ASL signers make use of a variety of ASL structures, including
occasionally "object-subject-verb" -- but the use of "STORE I GO" as an example of American Sign Language (ASL) sentence
structure is not representative of the most common type of signing actually being done by socially
active adult Deaf native signers.
It is a myth.
Notes:
In 2024 a student enrolled in "ASL 1" online at █████████ (a well-known university).
Day 1, slide 1: OSV, STORE I GO (and the instructor signs it)
Day 2, instructor demonstrates use of FINISH for "and then" and signs:
I GO FOOD STORE, FINISH, (shift), I GO BANK, FINISH, (shift) I GO VET PICKUP MY
DOG.
This is an example of how when ASL teachers are not thinking about **ASL
STRUCTURE** they tend to revert to signing in SVO -- as most of us do.
The problem here is that "OSV" was offered as THE structure of ASL, not "a"
structure.)
____ If you would like to do a deep dive on this topic, see:
ASL Sentence Structure
____ Observation would suggest that often the individuals teaching this are
learners of ASL as a second language and/or have NOT spent a lifetime of
interacting with socially active adult Deaf native signers. This isn't to say
that there aren't many excellent Hearing teachers of ASL. There are indeed many
excellent ones. It is simply to suggest that a lifetime of
interacting with Deaf and using ASL as your primary language leads people to use
it in natural ways that flow and are very efficient (also know as "being fluent").
____ If you have not read this page yet please do so before debating or arguing the article titled: "The Myth of STORE I GO."
https://www.lifeprint.com/asl101/topics/subject-verb-object-asl-sentence-structure.htm
____ Prior to to using the term "pure ASL" please define the term and get several people to agree with you. If you are using a term to label an example but don't have a definition for the term you will be chasing your tail.
____ "STORE, I GO" is not "wrong." The myth isn't the right or wrongness of "STORE, I GO" but rather the "myth" is that "topicalization" = "topic comment" (it doesn't) and that "topicalization" is the main, top, or even most common grammar structure in ASL
(it isn't). "STORE, I GO" is merely a lesser used form of ASL equivalent to "passive voice" in English. It has its uses but one such use should not be as the poster child for ASL.
If a newscaster uses the phrase, "In a telephone interview Friday, Sánchez said" once at the beginning of a sub-section of a story -- it is a great introduction.
If the newscaster used the phrase, "In that telephone interview Friday, Sánchez said" -- before every single sentence in the rest of the story it would be "over-use" of topicalization.
Topicalization is not wrong.
Overuse of topicalization is the problem.
The "myth" being sold to ASL students is that "topicalization" is the main grammar structure in ASL.
The challenge is that many ASL teachers don't realize there is a difference between "topic/comment" (which can include both SVO and OSV and various other sign-orders) and "topicalization."
Topicalization does not equal "topic comment."
Topicalization (passive voice) is "one" version of "topic/comment" -- so is "SVO."
Also see: "The myth
of always needing to fingerspell brand names, proper nouns, and titles"
Another example of go to the store:
https://youtu.be/t9lQq2SL7bo?t=25