In American Sign Language (ASL) curricula like Signing Naturally
(Unit 9.14), "Stop the Traffic" is a well-known narrative used to practice spatial agreement and storytelling. English Translation
Long ago, I worked as a teacher at a school just across the street. The school had a designated parking lot for teachers, but it was very expensive, and I didn't want to pay the high fees. Instead, I chose to park at my home nearby where it was free.
However, this meant I had to walk to work and cross a major, busy street with constant traffic. It was very difficult to cross; I would stand on the corner and wait, but the cars just kept going and going without stopping for me. Often, I would have to wait for a tiny gap and then run across quickly to avoid being late to class.
That summer, I became pregnant. I noticed a major change: when I stood on the corner with my pregnant belly, the cars would actually come to a halt to let me pass. Walking across the street became easy and safe. Later, after school finished for the summer, I gave birth to a baby boy. Story Variations
Depending on the specific version of the story used in class, there is often a humorous twist: The "Backpack" Trick:
Some variations describe a student who is always late because of the traffic. She decides to turn her backpack around to her front so she asl stop the traffic story translation
pregnant, causing cars to stop so she can finally get to class on time. Real Pregnancy:
In the teacher's version, the story typically concludes with the relief of her real pregnancy making her daily commute easier. glossed version (the ASL signs written in all caps) for practice?
I used to work as a teacher at a school. The school had a designated parking area for teachers, but it was very expensive to use. Because I didn't want to pay the high parking fees, I decided to park my car at home for free and walk to work instead.
During my walk, there was one particular street that was always extremely busy with heavy traffic. Every day, I would stand on the corner and wait for a long time, trying to find a gap so I could cross. It was very difficult, and I was frequently late for my class because the cars simply wouldn't stop.
One day, I had a clever idea. I took my backpack (or jacket), turned it around to the front, and tucked it under my shirt so it looked like I had a large, pregnant belly. When I stepped to the curb, the traffic immediately stopped to let me pass safely. I hurried across, went to my classroom, and was finally on time.
Eventually, I actually did get pregnant. After that, I never had to worry about being late again because the cars always stopped for me! Key Translation Tips for ASL Stories In American Sign Language (ASL) curricula like Signing
Role Shifting: In your write-up, clearly distinguish between the narrator’s thoughts and their actions (e.g., "I had an idea!").
Classifiers: The story uses classifiers to show the heavy flow of traffic and the "pregnant" belly. When writing, use descriptive adjectives like "heavy traffic" or "constant stream of cars" to capture these visual signs.
Spatial Agreement: Ensure your translation follows the logic of the signing space, such as the teacher's home being on one side and the school on the other.
If you are attempting an ASL stop the traffic story translation yourself, whether for a class assignment or personal study, avoid these frequent mistakes:
| Mistake | Why It's Wrong | | :--- | :--- | | Translating word-for-word | ASL grammar uses time, topic, comment. "Yesterday I stop traffic" becomes "TRAFFIC STOP, YESTERDAY ME" (Topic-Comment). | | Forgetting non-manuals | Without the furrowed brows and head tilt, "STOP" just means "cease." With intensity, it means "HALT NOW OR ELSE." | | Using English passive voice | "The traffic was stopped by me" doesn't exist in ASL. It's always active: "ME STOP TRAFFIC." | | Missing the classifier sequence | English says "cars were everywhere." ASL shows two hands sweeping outward in a crash classifier (CL:3 → CL:V). |
The "Stop the Traffic" story is a classic ASL narrative—sometimes a personal anecdote, sometimes a pedagogical tool—used to demonstrate the unique spatial and temporal capabilities of ASL. Unlike English, which relies on linear word order, ASL uses the signing space as a canvas. Common Translation Errors to Avoid If you are
In this story, the narrator describes a moment of such intense frustration, urgency, or authority that they metaphorically or literally command traffic to halt. There are several versions, but the most common translation hunt revolves around a specific story told by Deaf storyteller Ben Bahan or Ella Mae Lentz, where the protagonist steps into a chaotic intersection and physically pushes the air to stop cars, using the "STOP" sign (both hands in "5" handshapes, palms out, thrust forward) with emphatic non-manual markers (facial expressions).
For learners seeking a reliable ASL stop the traffic story translation, avoid machine translation sites. Instead, use:
Find a native ASL user telling the story. Watch it three times. Do not write English words. Instead, write glosses (capitalized ASL signs):
Cinematic in nature – ASL uses space like a movie screen. The car moves left to right, the child enters from below, the ball bounces in slow motion.
Facial grammar – Without a single spoken word, the signer shows:
Classifiers do the action – Instead of saying “The car stopped quickly,” the signer shows the car’s handshape jerking to a halt. That’s visual immersion.
“STOP THE TRAFFIC” – In ASL, this isn’t translated word-for-word. Instead, the signer often:
In Part 3, the signer becomes the police officer.