Adverbial Morphemes in Tactile ASL - Gallaudet University

More documents

Recommendations

Info

PDE – Steven D. Collins Intellectual Context and Literature Review _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ (1977b) looked at variation in the use of a one-handed and an older two-handed form of the same sign. They report weighted internal constraints such as that of one-handed forms which have an outward movement as opposed to an inward movement, and are articulated at a higher facial location as opposed to a lower placement on the face. Woodward and DeSantis also noted external constraints, finding that older, southern, and African-American signers use the older two-handed form more often than do younger, northern and Caucasian signers. After this spurt of variation studies in the 1970’s, few studies appeared again until the 1990’s. Between the 1970’s and the 1990’s, however, there has been a tremendous increase in our knowledge of the linguistic structure of ASL and in our understanding of the complexities and diversity of the language situation in the Deaf community (Padden & Humphries 1988; Lucas & Valli 1992; Paranis 1997). This knowledge has lead to a re-examination and concern about the methodologies used in sociolinguistic studies of ASL, particularly in informant and interviewer selection, and data collection methods (Lucas 1995; Patrick and Metzger 1996). For example, several of the earlier studies used written questionnaires or direct elicitation, often had hearing researchers conducting the interviews, made broad generalizations based on a very small number of informants, and used informants with varying language backgrounds, e.g., one informant might be a native signer while another might have learned to sign when they were 19 years old. Recent methods now reflect contemporary efforts in using “natural” data. Data is videotaped and coded for further analysis, and careful attention is given to ensuring that subjects are representative of the group being studied (Milroy 1987 a, b; Lucas 1995). Lucas et al (2001) conducted a large study on ASL variation in the deaf black community and in the deaf white community. The ongoing analysis is based on videotaped conversational data from 207 White and African-American ASL signers in three age groups, in two socioeconomic groups, and in seven sites around the United States. In the study, three phonological variables and the linguistic and social constraints on participants were analyzed: 1) the sign DEAF which, in citation form, is produced from ear to chin and can also be produced from chin to ear or as a single contact on the cheek: 2) a class of signs represented by the sign KNOW, which, in citation form, is produced on or at the side of the forehead. The variants of KNOW, for example, were produced on or at the side of the forehead or were formed at lower locations including the cheek or even the space in front of the signer, and 3) signs produced with 21
PDE – Steven D. Collins Intellectual Context and Literature Review _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ a 1-handshape (index extended, all other fingers and thumb closed) which show a wide range of variation: thumb extended, all fingers extended etc. In all three cases, it was hypothesized that the variation would be driven by phonological factors such as features of the preceding or following sign. While there is some phonological involvement in all three cases, a Varbrul analysis with a total of 10,000 tokens has shown that the most significant factor is grammatical function: in the case of DEAF, whether the sign functions as an adjective or part of a compound, as a predicate, or as a noun – adjectives and compounds favoring non-citation forms, nouns being neutral, and predicates disfavoring them; the location study involving signs like KNOW with preposition signs favoring non-citation forms and noun and verbs disfavoring them; and in the 1-handshape signs, first-person pronouns strongly favoring non-citation forms, second-person pronouns being neutral and third-person pronouns, nouns, and verbs disfavoring non-citation forms. This data was also analyzed for variation on the presence of grammatical subjects and for lexical variation. 2.3. Tactile ASL As stated earlier, it is primarily Deaf-Blind adults who have Usher Syndrome Type I who use Tactile ASL. These individuals typically grow up using ASL as their primary means of communication. Eventually, when their vision deteriorates, they start receiving ASL tactilely because Deaf-Blind people have increasing difficulty seeing the non-manual signals (NMS) that are an integral part of ASL. What we are seeing is that these non-manual signals are being represented manually. This manual representation of NMS is the variation that this paper examines, specifically as it pertains to the representation of adverbs. Variation defines the different ways of saying or signing the same thing where meaning remains constant. (Fasold, 1984). That is precisely what is happening with Tactile ASL: signals that are represented nonmanually in ASL are being represented manually in Tactile ASL, with no change in meaning. Using ASL in a tactile mode may appear to be a contradiction. That is, ASL, which is described as a visual language, includes non-manual components which the Deaf-Blind person cannot see; and many ASL signers use two hands while the Deaf-Blind person usually has tactual contact with only one hand. Additionally, many signs use handshapes involving combinations of the fingers, yet the Deaf-Blind person’s hand is on the back of the signer’s hand, not in contact with 22
Page 1 and 2: ADVERBIAL MORPHEMES IN TACTILE AMER
Page 3 and 4: PDE - Steven D. Collins Acknowledge
Page 5 and 6: PDE - Steven D. Collins Table of Co
Page 7 and 8: PDE - Steven D. Collins Introductio
Page 15 and 16: PDE - Steven D. Collins Intellectua
Page 25: PDE - Steven D. Collins Intellectua
Page 43 and 44: PDE - Steven D. Collins Methods ___
Page 49 and 50: PDE - Steven D. Collins Findings an
Page 77 and 78:
PDE - Steven D. Collins Summary, Co
Page 79 and 80:
PDE - Steven D. Collins Appendix A
Page 81 and 82:
Page 83 and 84:
Page 85 and 86:
PDE - Steven D. Collins Appendix B
Page 87 and 88:
PDE - Steven D. Collins Appendix C
Page 89 and 90:
Page 91 and 92:
Page 93 and 94:
Page 95 and 96:
Page 97 and 98:
Page 99:
Page 102 and 103:
PDE - Steven D. Collins Appendix D
Page 104 and 105:
Page 106 and 107:
Page 108 and 109:
Page 110 and 111:
Page 112 and 113:
Page 114 and 115:
Page 116 and 117:
Page 118 and 119:
Page 120 and 121:
Page 122 and 123:
Page 124 and 125:
PDE - Steven D. Collins Appendix E
Page 126 and 127:
PDE - Steven D. Collins Appendix E
Page 128 and 129:
PDE - Steven D. Collins Appendix F
Page 130 and 131:
PDE - Steven D. Collins Appendix F
show all

Adverbial Morphemes in Tactile ASL - Gallaudet University

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?