If you are analyzing a specific video performance of this story, I can help you break down the exact signs used. Share public link
: Shift your body slightly to the left to sign as the main character, then shift to the right to sign as the friend, creating a clear dialogue without ever needing to sign "he said" or "she said." 3. Classifiers (CL)
While ASL does not translate word-for-word into English, a standard translation of the "Stop the Traffic" narrative looks like this:
In the classroom, the "stop the traffic" theme is a favorite exercise for ASL students. The action provides a perfect opportunity to practice depicting verbs. A student can build a short narrative like, "I was riding my bike downhill, I had to FS_BRAKE quickly" . At a more advanced level, these narratives become poetic. "ABC Stories" and "Number Stories"—where the signer tells a tale using a specific handshape sequence that corresponds to the alphabet or numbers—often incorporate a sudden stop or "traffic" theme to add dramatic tension and demonstrate linguistic mastery.
"Stop the Traffic" is a classic, humorous story deeply embedded in Deaf culture and frequently used in American Sign Language (ASL) classrooms. It serves as a rite of passage for signers, blending visual comedy with essential linguistic principles. Translating this story requires shifting from the spoken or written word into a highly visual, spatial, and cinematic language. The Plot of the "Stop the Traffic" Story asl stop the traffic story translation
The judge laughed. He understood. He dismissed the ticket and said, "From now on, police officers will learn what STOP looks like in sign language."
Students must use vehicle classifiers (like the 3-handshape ) to show the flow and sudden stopping of traffic.
Facial expressions, mouth morphemes, and torso movements that act as the adverbs and adjectives of ASL. The Narrative Arc: "Stop the Traffic"
ASL is not simply a word-for-word manual code for English—it is a complete, natural language with its own grammar, syntax, and literary traditions. ASL storytelling is a celebrated art form within the Deaf community, allowing signers to convey nuanced narratives that incorporate facial expression, body movement, and the creative use of space. If you are analyzing a specific video performance
The story follows a Deaf man driving a car who encounters a series of red lights. At each intersection, he looks over at the cars next to him.
If you are reviewing this material for an assignment, try signing the story yourself using the English translation above as a conceptual guide rather than trying to memorize a static string of words! Next Steps for Mastering Your Translation
(Unit 9.14), "Stop the Traffic" is a well-known narrative used to practice spatial agreement and storytelling. English Translation
The signer's face lights up. Role-shifting occurs as the signer embodies the driver hatching a mischievous or desperate plan to clear the road. The action provides a perfect opportunity to practice
Shift your torso slightly to embody the driver. Your facial expression should be calm and unbothered. The Sudden Hazard (Classifiers)
Which of the story you are analyzing? What assignment guidelines or rubrics you need to follow?
The story follows a woman (sometimes identified as Suzanne) who worked at a school.
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is used to represent the squirrel's body and its frozen, crouched posture on the asphalt.
Used as flat hands to describe the wide highway, the lanes, or a flat wall of oncoming traffic.