American Sign Language
and ASL Linguistics
LING 200
University of Washington
February 6, 2009
Lance Forshay, Presenter
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Agenda
 Nature of ASL and relevant questions.
 American Deaf Culture
 Brief History of Sign Languages
 ASL and Deaf Studies at UW.
 ASL phonetics and phonology
Presenter
 Lance A. Forshay, M.S. [email protected]
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ASL Lecturer and Program Coordinator
Department of Linguistics
University of Washington, Seattle.
President of Washington ASL Teacher
Association.
(National) ASL Teacher Association member.
Washington State Association of the Deaf Member
Deaf Bilingual Coalition - Washington
Fourth of five Deaf generations.
The Nature of ASL
Is ASL…
A Visual-Gestural Language?
Yes.
ASL contains 60% Gestural-Body Language and
Facial Expressions. Some iconic signs:
Ex. BASEBALL, CAR, SMILE, GRAB
However ASL is different from common gestures
hearing people use. Some arbitrary signs:
MAN, NAME, HOPE, YESTERDAY,
IMPROVE
The Nature of ASL
Is ASL…
A fully developed language?
Yes.
ASL contains all linguistic
characteristics that make ASL a
language different and independent
from English language.
The Nature of ASL
Is ASL…
A language you can use to
communicate complicated topics
with philosophical ideas, politics,
sports, education, science, comedy,
or express in drama, storytelling,
poetry or anything else like you do
with English?
Yes!… with no limitations.
The Nature of ASL
Is ASL…
A changing language?
Yes.
Like all languages, ASL does change
over time and varies within regions
(accents). Some old ASL signs
disappear, simplify or assimilate with
other word signs into new signs.
(Compound and Contractions)
The Nature of ASL
Is ASL…
Universal?
No.
Almost every country has its own sign
language just like spoken language.
There are about 100 known sign
languages around the world
The Nature of ASL
Is ASL…
Used in other countries?
Yes, some.
ASL is used by Deaf people in Canada
and few other countries with historical
background of deaf education
established by American educators and
church missionaries for the deaf such
as Nigera, Kenya, Philippines, Belize
and some parts of India.
The Nature of ASL
Is ASL…
Used in British countries?
No.
ASL is totally different from British Sign
Language used in the United Kingdom
(Scotland, England, and Wales),
Australia, and New Zealand.
American Deaf Culture
 What is Deaf Culture?
A group of Deaf people who uses American Sign
Language, lives by a set of norms and values of
the Deaf community, shares the Deaf heritage and
traditions, and involves as a member of Deaf
community.
ASL is the key to the heart of Deaf culture and you
have to understand Deaf culture to master ASL at
higher level.
 “D”eaf versus deaf.
 Matter of identity and belonging to Deaf
community.
 Not necessarily hereditary.
ASL Timeline
Old
ASL
American Sign
Language 1817
ASL Timeline
1817: American School for the Deaf
1817-30’s Methodological Signs
1860: Standardization / Deaf College
1880: Milan, SL banned worldwide / NAD
1910’s: Peak of Oralism / Veditz Video
1960’s: Stokoe’s ASL Research / NTD
1970’s: MCE / NAD: SIGN / Deaf Studies
1980’s: Bi-Bi / DPN / Deaf Way I
1990’s: ASL Education / ASLTA
2000’s: Deaf Way II / VP-VRS / UFG
ASL in Washington state
Washington State Law passed in July 1984 to
recognize ASL as a language and that it may
be used for foreign language credit in
secondary and post-secondary level
education. (WAC 180-51-025 for secondary
and postsecondary.) For more information on
other state legislations on ASL.
http://www.aslta.org/legislation/index.html
ASL & Deaf Studies Program at UW
 Regularly offered since Aut 2007
 First year with one teacher. Two sections for each
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class, ASL 101, 102 and 103.
Over 300 students on waiting list for ASL 101 classes
last year and again this year.
Permanent funds from the state and private
foundations.
ASL 305 Introduction to Deaf Studies.
ASL 134 Intensive first year summer ASL course.
LING 403 ASL Linguistics
Signing community with Deaf staff, students and
other ASL students.
Phonetic parameters of ASL signs
 Manual ways in which signs can differ
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Handshape
Location
Movement
Orientation
Number of hands
 Non-manual ways in which signs can differ
Handshape
 Minimal pairs
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APPLE vs. CANDY
SEATTLE vs. NEUTRAL
LIKE vs. WHITE
 Signs which change handshape
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UNDERSTAND
HOW MANY
Location
 Minimal pairs
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APPLE vs. ONION
LUCKY vs. CLEVER
THIRTEEN vs. CUTE
 Signs which change location
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DEAF
FUN
KING
Movement
 Different types of movement
 straight: SEPARATED
 angled: PERCENT
 looping: WASHINGTON
 wiggling: COLOR
 twisting: CHRISTMAS
 nodding: YES
 Minimal pairs
 TOUGH vs. PHYSICS
 CAN vs. SHOES
 BROWN vs. BEER
Orientation
 Minimal pairs
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MEET vs. I MEET YOU
NAME vs. CHAIR
SOCK vs. STAR
 Signs which change orientation
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DIE/DEAD
CLASS
Number of hands
 One-handed signs
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MOTHER
COOL (“with it”)
 Two-handed signs
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DEER
HERE
BICYCLE
 Minimal pairs
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PURPLE vs. PARTY
Non-manual expressions
 Signs articulated with non-manual
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OH I SEE
 Minimal pairs
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HERE vs. WHAT
LATE vs. NOT YET
AGE vs. HOW-OLD
HOT vs. VERY HOT
Assimilation
 In handshape
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I
NAME
I AM NAMED
BOY
FRIEND
BOYFRIEND
 Change in handshape over time
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YEAR
Symmetry condition
 ‘if both hands move independently during a
given two-handed sign...then the
specifications for handshape and movement
must be identical, and the orientations must
be either identical or polar opposites
(reciprocals). Locations...must also be
specifed either as symmetrical or as polar
opposites.’ (Battison 1974)
If handshapes identical
 One hand can move
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PAPER
 Or both hands can move
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DIE/DEAD
But if handshapes not identical
 Only one hand can move
DRAW
 no signs where both hands move
independently
 phonological restriction
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Questions