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Chapter Five Recognition of ASL as a Language - Coggle Diagram
Chapter Five
Recognition of ASL as a Language
From Gestures to Sign Language
gestures more effective than vocal communication
Spoken and Signed Languages
peoples major communication
written language
recorded easily, used as drawings
Spoken & Written Language
different language follow similar structure
spoken words
have consonants and vowels
influenced by where the tongue is, where the lips are, and if voice is on/off
signed words
have hold and movements
handshape, position of hand, orientation of hand
Visual-Gestural Language
Gestures
enhanced by facial expressions & different meanings
ASL grammar involve signers eyes, face, head, body posture, hands, and arms
Unique Characteristics of ASL
Demonstrate change in size
Describe height, width, interior or exterior space
Represent 3D shape to add depth and definition
Describe people and objects in action
Sign Language Engraved in Deaf History
ASL evolved over the years
Learning in Old Schools
Deaf children from hearing families did not know their names
students learned sign language themselves
sign language not taught in classrooms
in school learning
required to memorize English grammar and definitions of noun, verb, adjectives, adverbs
no classroom time to ASL learning
first taught to pronounce and speak their name, then print, then have a name sign before fingerspell their names
Earlier Books on Sign Language
early signed dictionaries
emphasized production of correct signs to accompany words
Handbook of the Sign Language of the Deaf by J. Schuyler Long (1910)
The Sign Language: A manual of Signs by John W. Michaels (1923)
in 1960s sign language discovered to possess certain characteristics and patterns
researchers discovered signs had characteristics such as phonology, morphology, syntax
Language and Sign Language
English set as a mandatory language in United States
Slaves were illiterates and become educated to fit in society
indian tribal languages and customs were suppressed
sign language was not taught in public schools or considered as a foreign language
Birth of ASL Research
linguistics pertain to sign language was unheard
The Salk Institute
Ursula Bellugi & her husband Edward Klima invited by Jonas Salk
after research of 2 years, convinced ASL had own grammar
Three Parameters
Handshape, location, and movement
focused on ASL's morphological processes
Early Findings
Stokoe published works
Sign Language Structure: An outline of the Visual Communication Systems of the American Deaf (1960)
sign language complete and complex language different from English
sign language, visual was more gesture and true language
A Dictionary of American Sign Language with Casterline & Cronenberg (1965)
signs not listed only by English translations
listed also by internal structure
Location - where on the body or space sign is made (cheek, chest, in front of body {dez or designator}
Movement - How does the hand move (circle, up-and-down, forward. {sig or signation}
Handshape - fingers are extended and bent in a particular sign in hand or fist; or have some fingers extended (tab)
Stokoe and Team
identified 19 handshapes, 12 location, 24 movements in ASL
ridiculed by many within the Deaf Community
Stokoe continued and is now considered the Father of American Sign Language Linguistics
What, Exactly is ASL?
ASL was a visual-gestural language created by Deaf people in America and Canada
visual
ASL use body movements instead of sound. Listeners use eyes not ears to understand what is said
linguistic information must be received through the eyes, language is structured to fit needs and capabilities of eyes
gestural
unit of ASL composed of specific movements and shpaes
intonation of language
ASL have own phonology, morphology, syntax
ASL is not an oral language, universal, written, iconic, or equal English grammar and structure of spoken English
How ASL Builds Signs: Selected Studies on ASL Phonology
Comparing, grouping and classifying signs
lsigns must be categorized into parts in order to perceive their meanings
Stokoe proposed 3 independent parts of a sign also known as Parameters
handshape
represent different handshape, may be similar in other parameters
location
represent different location, may be similar in other parameters
movement
represent different movement, may be similar in other parameters
addition to the parameter
palm orientation
description of hand orientation was necessary to distinguish signs
represent different palm orientation, may be similar in other parameters
non-manual signals
facial expressions are an important component
How ASL Changes Meanings: Selected Studies on ASL Morphology
morphology
study of word formation
how words formed to build new word or sign
morphemes
found in areas of noun-verb pairs, compound, contraction, classifiers, and inflectional processes
in both spoken English and ASL
combined to create a new word of compounds
useful and productive means of enlarge language vocabulary. English ex) icebox, microwave, breakfast
ASL compounds created from two separate signs that work together in one sign
EX/ HOME = SLEEP and EAT
phonological and morphology level
similar patterns in some signs
How ASL Arranges Sign Order: Selected Studies on Syntax
Sentence types
English
Written
punctuation such as question marks or exclamation marks
Spoken
show through inflections in voice
ASL
facial and body behavior
ASL Syntax
7 basic sentence types in ASL
Commands
order to do something, emphasize the action word by sign fast or sharp
Topicalization
indicate what topic to discuss, make statement, or question about the topic
Negation/Assertion
(not true/did not happen; did happen/will happen
Relative clauses
identify specific person or thing to be discussed
Conditionals
(indicate an action will be taken based on another action)
3 type of questions
YES-NO
require yes/no answer
accompanied with non-manual signals (forward tilt of head and body, raised eyebrows, and wide eyes
WH-word
ask a question
occur at beginning or ending of a sentence
interrogative signs include WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, WHY, WHO, HOW/HOW MANY
Rhetorical question
not require an answer
interrogative signs include WHY, WHAT, WHO, and HOW
Declarative Sentence
(not marked by one nms)
Non-manual signals
determine sentence types used in ASL
sign of sentence may be identical in production but nms create different meanings