ASL Linguistics Phonology Test

Does communication need language to communicate?

No

Does language need communication in order to communicate?

Yes

Communication Examples

Drawing, gesture, flags, words, ASL

Language Symbol Definition

Has symbols to govern the language for communication purpose

Is gestures a language?

No

What is the ASL definition?

A visual-gesture language

Linguistics Definition

The scientific study of human language

How to language and culture interact?

They feed/support each other

How is ASL/spoken language learned?

Spoken language and ASL is acquired automatically

What is ASL gloss?

A way that textbook use to identify the meaning of signs and signed sentences

What type of letters do you write in?

Uppercase letters

How do you gloss lexical finger-spelt words?

Put the #, then write the word

How do you gloss full finger-spelt words?

Uppercase letters with dashes in between

Gloss interpretation to English

Glossing is not the exact translation or interpretations of a sign

What is the purpose of gloss in textbooks?

As cues for the instructors to use in linking meaning with the sign or signed discourse

Linguistic Components

Phonology, Morphology, Syntax, Pragmatics, Semantics

Glossing Definition

System using to translate signs into a way to convey concepts

First Step of Glossing

Translate each sign into an English equivalent

Second Step of Glossing

State which facial expression accompanies the sign, phrase, or sentence

How many signs does a gloss have?

1

When pointing to another person (you, he, she) what is the gloss called?

Deixis (IX)

How do you gloss IX

IX-he/she, or IX MAN/SHE

How do you gloss a sign that is more than one English word?

Use a hyphen in between the words

How do you write glossing classifiers?

CL: Hand shape “what is happening”

How do you gloss a signel sign that has 2+ parts to one sign?

Use a + in-between each part of the sign

How do you gloss possession?

Add POSS- and then the person in italics

What has to be included in the gloss?

Non-manual signals (NMS) formed by the eyebrows, head, and lips

Where are the NMS written?

Above the gloss, on a drawn line at the end

What NMS signs are used?

Neg, Whq

How do you gloss a repeated/recurring actions?

Write ++

For wh questions, where do you write the NMS?

Over the wh word, at the end

Phonology Definition

The study of the smallest sounds or units in a language

ASL Phonology Definition

Study of how signs are structured and organized

The 5 ASL parameters:

Handshape, movement, location, palm orientation, NMS

How do you sign a change 1 handshape to a different handshape

Use an arrow

What does : mean in glossing?

2 hands

What can signs share

Parameters

What happens when a parameter is wrong?

The meaning of the sign is changed

Who devised the first system for describing sign?

William Stokoe

What was the general opinion of ASL before the first dictionary?

Signs were unanalyzed wholes, with no internal structure

Stokoe’s 3 parameters:

Location, handshape, movement

Stokoe’s Word for Location

Tabula or tab

Stokoe’s word for Handshape

Designator or dez

Stokoe’s word for Movement

Signation or sig

How was plam orientation and NMS dealt with in Stokoe’s system?

Indirectly, not written but expressed