Fingerspelling Differences: Between Deaf Individuals and Hearing Interpreters INT 492 Holden Jasinski Methodology and Raw Data For each video, 5 minutes of video was analyzed for fingerspel Introduction Conclusion Each use of fingerspelling was counted and totaled. In conclusion from this research, it appears that interpreters use fingerspelling as frequently as Deaf individuals in a similar setting. This research was to compare the use of fingerspelling between hearing interpreters and Deaf individuals. With the goal to determine if interpreters use ASL in a similar manner as Deaf individuals in a similar setting. This yielded a total of 40 minutes of video analysis for the resea According to this research interpreters can produce ASL in the same manner as native users of the language. Hearing Interpreters Individuals My hypothesis: Either of these two groups will use fingerspelling more frequently than the other. Deaf individuals may use it more frequently by having greater comfort with their native language. The hearing interpreters might use fingerspelling more often as a method to most accurately convey a message and not know another method. Video Link Time (start- end) Instances of Fingerspelling 1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rU6 qPL8kLTU 0:00- 5:00 10 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=- IfHqYgGs6c 20 3 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7N oyOe-v1rY 1:03- 6:03 28 4 http://videocatalog.gallaudet.edu/?vide o=19270 27:00- 32:00 18 Total 76 Video Link Time (start- end) Instances of Fingerspelling 1 http://videocatalog.gallaudet.edu/ ?video=19469 0:44- 5:44 18 2 ?video=17138 0:05- 5:05 28 3 ?video=11448 2:47- 7:47 10 4 ?video=19329 1:11- 6:11 19 Total 75 Fingerspelling will always be a crucial part of ASL and it is imperative that hearing interpreters have the ability to use this feature of ASL in a similar manner as the intended recipient of the interpretation. Literature Review Limitations of the Research This research used Linguistics of American Sign Language by Valli and Lucas to define what fingerspelling meant to clarify what is being studied. A limitation of this research was using online videos with varying topics. This was also used to define the differences between fingerspelling and lexical fingerspelling, which was not the focus of this study. Also the unknown background of the signers in all videos introduces many variables, one critical variable is each signers native language. 8 video sources were used in the making of this research. Interpreters used in this research may have different native languages, either ASL or English. This variable can lead to unreliable samples of data. 4 videos featuring hearing interpreters in a stage performance setting. Findings The two groups as sampled for this research showed they used fingerspell almost the same level of frequency. 4 Deaf individuals in a similar setting as the hearing interpreters. The Deaf individuals analyzed may also have different linguistic backgrounds that impacted their use of fingerspelling in unpredicted ways. Hearing interpreters used fingerspelling 76 instances. Deaf individuals used fingerspelling 75 instances. This difference seems insignificant and proves the hypothesis incorrect. References 1 Chuck Williams received Doctrine degree at Gallaudet Commencement May 2008 Seleskovitch, D. (1998). Knowledge. In Interpreting for International Conferences: [Motion picture]. (2008). USA: Gallaudet Video Catalog. Problems of Language and Communication (p. 60). Washington, D.C.: Pen and Booth. 30 30 Deaf History Lecture 10/28/09 Supalla Charting the History of Register in ASL through Steve Jobs Stanford Commencement Speech ASL [Motion picture]. (2012). 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In Deaf in America: Gallaudet University Press. 5 5 Voices from a Culture (13th ed., pp. 114-116). Cambridge, Massachusetts: 150 Symposium: Women at Gallaudet-Elizabeth Peet: The Legacy of the Peet Family in Harvard University Press. Deaf Education [Motion picture]. (2014). USA: Gallaudet Video Catalog. Ron Paul at UCLA, 04.04.2012 (ASL Interpreting) [Motion picture]. (2012). USA: 150 Symposium: Welcome & Presentation: Deaf History Award [Motion picture]. (2014). Hearing Interpreters Deaf Presenters www.PosterPresentations.com RESEARCH POSTER PRESENTATION DESIGN © 2012