1. The Deaf as a People Group Orville Boyd Jenkins Sign Language Commonalities

2. Syntax & grammar – this is universal for all sign languages in the world Classifers – certain handshapes that give pictures to improve meaning and clarification Non-Manual Markers – 28 that are grammatically based and it is impossible to communicate in sign language without them.  There are many others that build on these first 28. Ex: facial “expression”. The face indicates a question, comma, period, exclamation point, etc. The Non-Manual Marker must be at the beginning of the sentence, not the end. The Deaf as a People Group

3. Sign Language Commonalities Non-Manual Markers – 28 that are grammatically based and it is impossible to communicate in sign language without them.  There are many others that build on these first 28. Ex: facial “expression”. The face indicates a question, comma, period, exclamation point, etc. The Non-Manual Marker must be at the beginning of the sentence, not the end. The Deaf as a People Group

4. Sign Language Commonalities Iconic – universal in all sign languages. The handshape takes on the very shape of the item being described. Ex: “C” shape designates “cup” or “glass” and when brought to the mouth, indicates “drink” or “drinking”. The Deaf as a People Group

5. Characteristics of the Deaf The Deaf as an Ethno-Linguistic People Group The Deaf as a People Group