Section title: Ling200 AA/AD ASL Signed Language Linguistics
Instructor's background in ASL:
No formal studies or extensive research in ASL.
Completed a course in linguistics of sign languages during MA.
Encourages students interested in ASL to enroll in future courses.
Fill in the blank: Signed languages use a visual-gestural modality, whereas spoken languages use an auditory-vocal modality.
Highlights the primary difference in communication methods between signed and spoken languages.
Note: Signed languages share similarities with spoken languages in structure and use.
Q: Signed languages are not purely __________; instead, they exhibit:
Hockett's design feature of arbitrariness - a random mapping from form to meaning.
Notably, signed languages utilize parameters, not purely iconic signs.
Most children who are born deaf are born to hearing parents.
Fill in the blank: Signed languages exhibit 5 discrete units of signs, called parameters.
These parameters include:
Handshape: Physical shape of the hands during a sign (number of fingers, hand position).
Location: Where in the signing space a sign is produced (relative to the signer’s body).
Movement: Type of movement involved in a sign’s production (direction, rotation).
Palm orientation: Orientation of the palm(s) used when producing a sign.
Non-manual expressions: Additional features like facial expressions that complement signs.
Different types of phonological processes in signed languages:
Deletion: Removal of parameters in a sign.
Epenthesis: Insertion of parameters onto a sign.
Assimilation: Two sign parameters becoming similar.
Dissimilation: Parameters becoming less alike.
Metathesis: Changing order of parameters.
Centralization: Signs adjust to become more centralized with respect to the body.
Fusion, fluidity, compensatory lengthening: Additional processes that may occur in conjunction with others.
Constraints in signed languages that restrict possible signs and parameters:
Disallowed handshapes.
Symmetry condition: Rules regarding hand movements and shapes in signs.
Both free and bound morphemes are present in signed languages, including:
Derivational processes:
Reduplication for verb-to-noun changes.
Reversal-of-orientation for negation.
Conversion from noun to verb.
Compounding: Combining independent signs.
Numerical incorporation: Integrating numbers into signs.
Key aspects of signed language syntax:
Use of physical space to indicate grammatical roles (subject, object, etc.).
Topic-comment structure: Flexible word order where the topic is discussed followed by a comment on it.
Wh-movement generally occurring at the end of a phrase.
Quiz 6: Covers ASL linguistics: phonetic parameters, phonology, phonotactic constraints, morphology, syntax.
Homework 4: On ASL/linguistics and theories of language acquisition.
Old Hands: Reference to prior learning or knowledge in ASL.
Observations on the evolution of ASL signs among learners.