Dr. Bill
Vicars
Lifeprint.
com
linguistics
structure
usage
sign
signing
signing[skilled]
language
-[1]
language-[2]
= sentence
rule
control =
governed
communication
system[1]
system[2]
features
symbol
cat
DRAMA
MAYBE
*
"Symmetry
Condition"
WORD
MONEY
*
"Dominance
Condition"
What
handshapes
does the
base hand
use?
BUSY
HELP
WORK
PAPER
TOMATO
COMMUNIST
PUNISH
TREE
*
BASOC15
alternating
movement
MAYBE
*
nonalternating
movement
CAN
PLAY
*
symbol
either
arbitrary
iconic
GIRL
[bonnet]
MAN
[hat]
*
WRONG
LOUSY
arbitrary
*
Show me
some iconic
signs.
(They look like
what they
represent.)
Does
English
have
“iconicity”?
cock-adoodledo
choochoo
In spoken
languages a
word sounding
like what it
represents is
called:
Onomatopoeia
The point here
is that ASL is a
language
because it has
the features of a
language. (Just
in a visual way.)
*
Spoken
languages
have word
forms that
seem related
in meaning.
-ump, rump,
dump, hump,
mump, lump,
bump…
Phonesthesia
Show me
some signs
that seem
“related” via
handshape.
Example: What
signs use the
“EMPTY”
dominant
handshape?
*
schematized,
encoded ex:
TREE
*
Just as words are
different in
spoken
languages. They
are also different
in signed
languages.
DIFFERENT
STUDENT
[ASL]
STUDENT
[Thai SL]
*
Don't focus
/ dwell
upon
iconicity
For more
insight
look
beyond
iconicity:
ex: SIT (legs)
“CHAIR”
“SIT-for-along-time”
SIT-abruptly
*
CAT-SIT
CAT-SIT /
BIRD-SIT
iconicity
is not
"literal"
*
Members of a
community
share the
same
communication
system.
Language is
productive
(any topic)
Language
has ways of
showing the
relationship
between
symbols…
Ex:
DRIVE
("mm")
Ex:
LOOK-at
("mm")
“mm” =
regularly /
unexceptionally
*
"th" =
carelessly
*
prepositions
"The book is
on the
table."
TABLE,
INDEX, BOOK
(depiction for
"book on
table")
*
Language
has
mechanisms
for
introducing
new symbols.
MICROWAVE
COMPUTER
EATSLEEP …
HOME
BOY-SAME
…
BROTHER
Deaf Way
Conference
1989:
CLUB
*
Language
can be used
for an
unrestricted
number of
domains.
Ex:
philosophy
and art
*
The symbols
can be
broken down
into smaller
parts
duality of
patterning
=
words/signs
(symbols of
language)
can be
broken into
smaller parts
Compare:
LOUSY
AWKWARD
PREACH
vs
3-WEEKS
3-DOLLARS
9-MONTHS
handshape
specific
meaning
*
More than one
meaning can
be conveyed
by a symbol or
group of
symbols
HOME YOU?
"Are you
going home"
HOME
YOU!
"Go home!"
*
Language can
refer to the
past and the
future and
things that
aren't here.
Example:
"Yesterday
she told
me she will
go.”
YESTERDAY
PRO-3 TOLDME GO WILL
PRO-3
*
Language
changes
across
time.
COMPUTER,
COW,
TOMATO,
HELP
*
Language
can be used
interchangeably
(humans)
Birdsong is
not
language.
(only the
males do)
*
Language
users
monitor
their use.
Ex:
"Erasing"
in the air.
Or "NO I
MEAN"
*
Language
is learned
from other
users.
*
Birds, bees,
monkeys
don't seem
to learn
“variants.”
Language
users can
learn other
variants of
the same
language.
*
Language
users use the
language to
discuss the
language.
*