Theory of ASL - Midterm Flashcards
ASL is considered the native language of who?
American Deaf individuals in the US and Anglophone Canada.
ASL is a complete human language
intimately tied to American Deaf culture
- Language arises from culture; culture can be understood as shared experience and evaluation of that experience.
ASL is different and distinct from?
Pidgin Signed English (PSE) also known as Contact English or Manually Coded English (MCE). You may also hear this called Conceptually Accurate Signed English (CASE).
A 3rd version of signed language is?
Signed Exact English (SEE), designed to teach and reinforce deaf people English grammar.
The Rochester Method
Communication where everything is finger spelled
Modes of English (not spoken or written)
- SEE
- Rochester Method
- Morse Code
Deaf individuals code switch -
From ASL to PSE (just as non-deaf individuals code switch in many situations)
Deaf individuals use ASL to communicate to
other deaf individuals
Deaf using an interpreter
allow the deaf to communicate to the non-deaf each in their own language
Interpreters work from
- English to ASL
- ASL to English
Transliteration
Is when an interpreter uses PSE instead of ASL
We know that communication has occurred when?
both the sender and receiver understand the same message.
Source language intrusion
When we force English into ASL - via finger spelling or English syntax
-OR-
When we force ASL into English by glossing rather than interpreting.
ASL does borrow some English words
they are called Lexicons -
- fingerspelled, but evolves to look more like a sign and less like finger spelling
- When glossed they are preceeded by #
- Examples: #APT #BANK # PARK # BACK #WILL
ASL is a HIGH Context Language meaning….
It’s difficult to drop into a conversation in progress and understand what the topic is.
This is Due to:
ASL’s use of sign names, classifiers and spatialization.
English is a low context language
with regard to everyday topics, an individual could theoretically drop in to the middle of an ongoing conversation and understand what is being said.
Features of ASL
- No Orthography
- Some signs are Iconic
- Some signs are Arbitrary
- Spatialization
- The Reality Principle
- Pronominalization
- Directionality
- Classifiers used to represent nouns
- Sign Parameters
- Dominant / Non-Dominant hands
- Two-handed signs
- Many signs can be inflected for intensity
- “Agent” marker
- Signs vary
- Negation
- Numeral incorporation
No Orthography
No Orthography - it can’t be written.
Glossing is an effort to write it but it doesn’t capture a lot of necessary info and was developed by researchers, not deaf individuals for the purpose of writing
Iconic Signs
Some signs are Iconic - They look like what they mean
Arbitrary Signs
Some signs are Arbitrary - they don’t look like what they mean
Spatialization
Spatialization - ASL is a 3 demensional language and can therefore make use of space in ways that spoken language can’t
The Reality Principle
A Noun can be established in a location and it is then treated as if it is really there.
Pronominalization
Pronouns made by pointing
about 9 different handshapes
Different from English pronouns
Some headnods, eye gaze behaviors and facial movements
Directionality
Closely tied to spatialization, the reality principle and pronominalization
some verbs can move through space
EXAMPLES: Give to me, give to him, give to her
Help me, Help you
Pity for me, Pity for you
Classifiers
Used to represent nouns ( the noun must be signed first)
May be established in space
Classifiers frequently represent the size and shape, or at least the relative proportions of the nouns they represent.
Classiefiers can often move
Sign Parameters
Hand Shape
Point of articulation
Palm orientation
Movement
Non-Manual features
Dominant / Non-Dominant hands
The Dominent hand is the more important hand in terms of sign production
Non-Dominant handshapes are limited.
Often stays in 1 location
Same as dominant
Handshapes - B,A,S,O,C
Two-Handed Signs
Can move parallel to each other
Opposite to each other
Alternating with each other
Inflection
many signs can be inflected for intensity; often English adverbs (which describe how and action occurs) can be built-into the sign, especially in verb signs
“Agent” Markers
Add an “Agent” Marker to a verb sign to indicate a person who does that verb.
EXAMPLES: TEACH-agent, COOK-agent, WORK-agent
Signs Vary
Multiple signs for 1 concept, regional signs, old/new signs, individual preference.
Negation
Head shake simultaneous with sign
Negation by throwing away
use Negative sign (CAN’T, DON’T, WON’T, NOT)
Numeral Incorporation
Certain numbers can be incorporated into the formation of certain signs
EXAMPLE: OLD, DAY, WEEK, MONTH, EVERY YEAR
Define Language
A System of relatively arbitrary symbols and grammatical signals that change accross time and that members of a community share and use for several purposes:
To interact with each other
To communicate their ideas, emotions and intentions
To transmit their culture from generation to generation
Define ASL
Native, Manual, Cultural Language of the Deaf in teh US and Anglophone Canada
Types os ASL sentences
Statement (Topic/Comment)
Negation
Yes-No question
WH-question
RH-question
Time sequenced ordering of events
Conditional (IF-Then)
Directionality
Spatialization (Use of Space)
Classifier
Topic / Comment Sentence
A basic declarative sentence
EX: It is important to eat breakfast every morning
Yes / No Question
A asks B something; the answer is either “yes” or “no”
EX: Are you addicted to watching TV?
WH-Question
Who, What, Where, When, Why, or How
EX: How much did you pay for your car?
Rhetorical Questions (RH-Questions)
A question is asked that you intend to answer yourself
EX: I was just hired because I have 15 years of work experience.
Use of Space
People / Things are established and referenced in sign space
EX: Who is that red-headed girl
Directionality
Verbs move in space - to the right, left, up daown, in arc
EX: I need help becasue my car is broken.
Negation
Includes the concept of “no, not, none, do not, etc…
EX: I can’t find my glasses!
Classifiers
Handshapes that represent - make pictures of- nouns
EX: The man walked as if he were drunk.
Conditionals
If-Tne Propostions and their variation When-Then
EX: My boss will fire me if I call in sick again.
Time Sequence Order
ASL prefers events in chronological order
EX: I’m tired becasue I’ved worked hard all day after getting up so early this morning.
Sign Parameter - Handshape
Usually named for letters or numbers; variations include
clawed
bent
open
Sign Parameter - Point of Articulation
Location of the sign
Sign Parameter - Palm Orientation
Which way the palm faces when making the sign gives information concerning the sign’s meaning.
Sign Parameter - Movement
Of the Sign itself or the fingers
Some signs have the same handshape but have different meanings becasue of the way the sign moves.
Sign Parameter - Non-Manual Features
- Facial Expressions
- Body Shift
- Cheek-to-Shoulder (CS)
- Foot Stamp, shoulder shrug, miming
- Mouth Movements
- TTTHHHHH
- MMMMMMM
- PAH (FSH)
- Puffed cheeks
- Sucked-in cheeks
- Pursed lips
