Practice Quiz

A Lesson on Language

One of the features that make language unique is the set of symbols that can be broken down into smaller parts. Phonology is the study of the smallest contrastive units of language. For spoken languages, those contrastive units are sounds, and linguists study how the sounds in a language are structured and organized.

“Just as spoken words are formed from “parts” (e.g. vowel sounds and consonant sounds) so are the signs in any sign language. But the “parts” (also know as parameters) are not sounds.”

Sign language linguists use the term phonology to refer to the study of how signs are structured and organized. ASL have five basic parts (parameters).

Five Parameters of a Sign

What is a parameter? A basic component (part) of a sign

Five Parameters of a Sign Palm Orientation Movement Location Handshape Non-Manual Signals

Palm Orientation Direction the palm of the hand faces  Up  Down  Left  Right

Movement Any movement the sign makes: – Direction – Repetition – Size – Speed/Vigor with Nonmanual Signals

Movement: Direction Indicates the doer or recipient of the action – HELP Toward the signer Away from the signer Nov4/GraphNov04/SignHelp.jpg

Movement: Repetition Indicates the frequency of the action – STUDY Indicates the plurality of a noun – TREE vs. FOREST Distinguishes between a noun and verb – CHAIR vs. SIT images/asl_sit-chair.jpg images/sign_tree_t.jpg

Movement: Size Indicates the size – GROW Indicates the volume – CUP vs. PITCHER

Movement: Speed/Vigor ( with non-manual signals) Indicates the adverbial aspects being signed – RUN (slowly) – RUN (quickly)

Location Relates to the meaning of a sign – BRAIN – DREAM

Handshape Shape of the hand when signing Common handshapes: – Letters of the American Manual Alphabet – Manual numbers – Open hand – Bent hand – Curved 5 – Flattened O – Bent V

Non-Manual Signals Adds to the meaning of a sign, making a complete thought – Facial expression – Head/body movements – Eyes: gaze, contact

Non-Manual Signals: Facial Expressions Expressions on the face made simultaneously with a sign – CHUBBY – FAT – OBESE

Non-Manual Signals: Head/Body Movements Movements of the head/body made simultaneously with a sign – WHAT

Non-Manual Signals: Eyes: Gaze, Contact Eye gaze and contact made simultaneously with a sign

Putting It All Together! Handshape: Open B > Bent B Orientation: palm out Location: thumb on right temple Movement: bend fingers down sharply Nonmanual signals: eyebrows knit, frown

Let’s Try Another One! Handshape: Open A Orientation: palm down Location: lower chest Movement: slide thumb up chest Nonmanual signals: shoulders thrust back, erect posture

More Parameter Practice! Choose a sign from the bag. Describe each parameter of the sign on the handout. Trade papers with a classmate. Try to figure out the sign being described.

Summary The five parameters of a sign are: – Palm Orientation – Movement – Location – Handshape – Non-Manual Signals Facial expressions Head/body movements Eyes: gaze, contact

Before you leave, I want to show you D-Pan (Deaf Performing Artists Network) on the Internet.

Change-The-Stick Activity

Change-The-Stick To help develop visual sensitivity To help students feel less inhibited To build group cohesion To help provide an opportunity for students to be visually creative

1.I will hold an imaginary stick 2.I will do something with the ‘stick’ so that it changes to a new object 3.I will pass the ‘stick’ to a student at random 4.Student will change the ‘stick’ to another object and pass it on to another student 5.Activity will continue until everyone has a chance