1. 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
qPL8kLTU
0:00-
5:00 10 2
IfHqYgGs6c 20 3
oyOe-v1rY
1:03-
6:03 28 4
o=19270
27:00-
32:00 18
Total 76
Video
Link
Time (start- end)
Instances of Fingerspelling 1
?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
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U.S. President Barack Obama in American Sign Language [Motion picture]. (2013).
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Video 4
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Video 1
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Video 4 20
Gallaudet University: On The Green with Alan-May 2013 [Motion picture]. (2013).
Valli, C., & Lucas, C. (2000). Fingerspelling. In Linguistics of American Sign Language
USA: Gallaudet Video Catalog.
an introduction (3rd ed., p. 74). Washington, D.C.: Gallaudet University Press. 15 15
O'Neill, R. (1998, January). Language acquisition and CLT. Retrieved March 10, 2015,
Valli, C., & Lucas, C. (2000). Bilingualism and Language Contact. In Linguistics of
from 10 10
American Sign Language an introduction (3rd ed., p. 192). Washington, D.C.:
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Hearing Interpreters
Deaf Presenters
RESEARCH POSTER PRESENTATION DESIGN © 2012