American Sign Language
and Deaf Culture
Program
World Language Day
University of Washington
Febrary 29, 2008
Lance Forshay, Presenter
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But you may download and keep for your own personal notes.
Presenter:
 Lance A. Forshay, M.S. LForshay@u.washington.edu
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ASL Lecturer and Program Coordinator
Department of Linguistics
University of Washington, Seattle.
President of Washington ASL Teacher Association.
(National) ASL Teacher Association member.
Washington State Association of the Deaf Board
Member at Large: Watchdog and Advocacy.
Fourth of five Deaf generations.
Agenda
 Nature of ASL and relevant questions.
 Brief History of Sign Languages
 American Deaf Culture
 Future for ASL students
 ASL at an international scope.
 Concerns about ASL.
 ASL and Deaf Studies at UW.
 Resources
The Nature of ASL
Is ASL…
A Visual-Getural Language?
Yes.
ASL contains 60% Gestural-Body
Language and Facial Expressions.
However ASL is different from common
gestures hearing people use.
The Nature of ASL
Is ASL…
A fully developed language?
Yes.
ASL contains all linguistic
characteristics that make ASL a
language different and independent
from English language.
The Nature of ASL
Is ASL…
A language with a cultural component?
Yes. Read about this issue on
www.waaslta.org
ASL is the key to the heart of Deaf culture
and you have to understand Deaf culture
to master ASL at higher level.
The Nature of ASL
Is ASL…
A broken English?
No.
ASL is just a language with different
grammar order and structure. Can you
say that French and Spanish are poor
English or have broken English?
The Nature of ASL
Is ASL…
A language you can use to
communicate complicated topics
with philosophical ideas, politics,
sports, education, science, comedy,
or express in drama, storytelling,
poetry or anything else like you do
with English?
Yes!… with no limitations.
The Nature of ASL
Is ASL…
A written language?
No.
Even though we have research project
called “Sign Writing” known only to
few, we still do not
have an official written
ASL yet.
www.signwriting.com
The Nature of ASL
Is ASL…
A changing language?
Yes.
Like all languages, ASL does change
over time and varies within regions
(accents). Some old ASL signs
disappear, simplify or assimilate with
other word signs into new signs.
(Compound and Contractions)
The Nature of ASL
Is ASL…
Universal?
No.
Almost every country has its own sign
language just like spoken language.
There are at least 70 known sign
languages.
The Nature of ASL
Is ASL…
Used in other countries?
Yes.
ASL is used by Deaf people in Canada
and few other countries with historical
background of deaf education
established by American educators and
church missionaries for the deaf such
as Nigera, Kenya, Philippines, Belize
and some parts of India.
The Nature of ASL
Is ASL…
Used in British countries?
No.
ASL is totally different from British Sign
Language used in the United Kingdom
(Scotland, England, and Wales),
Australia, and New Zealand.
The Nature of ASL
Is ASL…
Legally accepted as a world language
credit?
Yes.
Washington State Law passed in July 1984 to
recognize ASL as a language and that it may
be used for foreign language credit in
secondary and post-secondary level
education. (WAC 180-51-025 for secondary
and postsecondary.) For more information on
other state legislations on ASL.
http://www.aslta.org/legislation/index.html
The Nature of ASL
Is ASL…
Offered at major universities and colleges?
Yes, ASL is becoming very popular in higher
education.
http://web.mac.com/swilcox/UNM/univlist.html
Now, ASL has the fourth largest enrollment.
1990: 1,602
1995: 4,304
1998: 11,420
2002: 60,781
2006: 78,829 (Italian: 78,368 = 461 less)
Modern Languages Association, 2006.
The Nature of ASL
Is ASL…
Is ASL recognized by the American
Council on the Teaching of Foreign
Languages (ACTFL)?
Yes.
See their website, www.actfl.org
ASL is also recognized by the Modern
Languages Association (MLA), Salks
Research Institute and many other
reputable research organizations.
Brief Timeline History of ASL
 Natural bodily and facial gestures and
common gestural signs are on earth since
the beginning of mankind.
 Indian Sign Language, cross-tribal
communications for trading purposes.
Brief Timeline History of ASL
 399 (?) B.C. Socrates
quoted by Plato in
“Cratylus” mentions the
deaf who express
themselves in gestures
movement, depicting
that which is light or a
higher sphere by raising
the hands or describing
a galloping horse by
imitating its motion.
Brief Timeline History of ASL
 Aristoles: “Deaf are born
incapable to reason”
 1600’s Italian monks’ vow of
silence and the re-discovery
of “deaf education through
sign communication”
 Juan Pablo de Bonet, a Spanish teacher for
the deaf published about his work with
teaching the deaf using “hand signs” in 1620
Brief Timeline History of ASL
 In 1755, Abbe Charles Michel de L’Eppe of
Paris founded the first free school for the
deaf with sign language as a method of
communication. This model of deaf
school concept spread all over the
European countries for the next hundred
years.
 In 1778, Samuel Heinicke of Leipzig
Germany, promoted Oralism, a
method of teaching deaf children
spoken and written language
through speech and lip-reading
exclusively without use of sign
language.
Brief Timeline History of ASL
 Thomas Gallaudet saw the need of education
for deaf children. He went to Europe and
brought Laurent Clerc, a deaf
teacher from deaf school in
Paris, to America to start a
deaf school together in 1817.
Brief Timeline History of ASL
Laurent Clerc learned the old ASL used by deaf
people in America and combined it with
LSF (French Sign Language).
Eventually, he standardized
the sign system at the school
into modern ASL as we know
it today.
Brief Timeline History of ASL
 Alexander Graham Bell and the spread of
Oralism took a strong grip on deaf
education in American and all over
the world in 1880’s.
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1880,the World Congress of the
Educators of the Deaf met in Milan,
Italy and passed a resolution to
promote Oralism in deaf education
all over the world and dismiss all deaf
teachers out of deaf schools.
Brief Timeline History of ASL
 At the same year, National Association for the
Deaf was founded and they fought long
and hard for the rights to
use sign language in deaf
community and education.
www.nad.org
 1900’s - 1960’s Oralism method proved
failure in deaf education. Average deaf high
school graduates ranks third grade in English.
Brief Timeline History of ASL
 1960’s William Stokoe, a non-conventional
linguist, who taught English at
Gallaudet, recognized
linguistic characters in ASL
and started to have a deep
interest to do research on
sign. He eventually proved
that ASL is a language. He
published his finding.
 1970’s, Sign Language Studies, Classes,
Training, and Book materials began to
emerge. Deaf culture recognized and defined
with ASL.
Brief Timeline History of ASL
 1975, Sign Instructors Guidance Network.
Today it is called ASL Teacher Association.
 1970’s Sign language slowly returns to deaf
education but in Englishized forms.
 1988. Deaf President Now.
 1990 ASL accepted as a foreign language
credit and course offered in many college and
high school at explosive growth.
 1990’s Many states legalize ASL as a foreign
language course for HS and college.
American Deaf Culture
 What is Deaf Culture?
A group of Deaf people who uses American Sign
Language, lives by a set of norms and values
of the Deaf community, shares the Deaf
heritage and traditions, and involves as a
member of Deaf community.
 “D”eaf versus deaf.
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Matter of identity and belonging to Deaf
community.
Not necessarily hereditary.
American Deaf Culture
 Art / Theatre.
 Folk-Tale and Legends.
 Social rules, Norms, Values, Traditions,
Worldviews.
Future for ASL Students…
Career options include:
(Quoted from Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center Info To-Go.)
 Audiologist
 Counselor
 Dormitory/residence program counselor
 Interpreter
 Linguist
 Social worker
 Speech-language pathologist
 Teacher
 Parent/infant specialist
 Combined specialties
Future for ASL Students…
Work setting include:
(Quoted from Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center Info To-Go.)
 Colleges and
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universities
Community hearing and
speech agencies
Consumer associations
Government agencies
Health departments
Hospitals and clinics
Industry and
businesses
 Legal settings
 Mental health clinics
 Private practices
 Private and state
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schools
Public school systems
Rehabilitation centers
Research centers
Social service agencies
ASL as an International Scope.
 While ASL is not universal, ASL is widely used in
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international conferences or gathering beside
Gestuno.
World Federation of the Deaf conference uses
Gestuno but many people communicate in ASL.
Deaflympics / Goodwill Games / Deaf Way.
ASL is very popular with Deaf people in Japan.
ASL has an huge impact on the linguistic community
and research. Many principles of ASL grammar are
being discussed in comparison to other language
linguistics.
Gallaudet University and its international reputation.
Concerns and short responses.
 Losing students to popular ASL classes. (Sherman
Wilcox’s article discusses how ASL students are
motivated to take other foreign language as a result
of taking ASL.
http://web.mac.com/swilcox/UNM/facts.html )
 ASL as an “easy” language for a quick credit: A big
misconception held by students and even school
administrators and counselors.
 Standards comparable to other World Language?
 How often will we use our ASL skills?
ASL & Deaf Studies Program at UW
 First year with one teacher. Two sections for each
class, ASL 101, 102 and 103.
 Over 300 students on waiting list for ASL 101 classes
last Fall.
 Permanent funds from the state and private
foundations.
 New Courses this year:
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ASL 305 Introduction to Deaf Studies.
ASL 134 Intensive first year summer ASL course.
 Signing community with Deaf staff, students and
other ASL students.
 Future…
Resources
 (National) American Sign Language Teacher
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Association (ASLTA). www.aslta.org
Washington ASL Teacher Association (WA ASLTA).
www.waaslta.org
National Association of the Deaf. www.nad.org
Gallaudet University, www.gallaudet.edu
Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center,
Gallaudet University.
Registry of Interpeters for the Deaf. www.rid.org
Council of Interpreter Trainers. www.cit-asl.org
American Council on the Teaching of Foreign
Languages. www.actfl.org
Phonetic parameters of ASL signs
 Manual ways in which signs can differ
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Handshape
Orientation
Location
Movement
Number of hands
 Non-manual ways in which signs can differ
Handshape
 Minimal pairs
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LIKE vs. WHITE
DORM vs. DEAF
PEOPLE vs. BICYCLE
NUMBER vs. INTERPRET
 Change in handshape
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UNDERSTAND
HOW MANY
DIVORCED
Orientation
 Minimal pairs
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MEET vs. I MEET YOU
NAME vs. CHAIR
SOCK vs. STAR
YOUR vs. MY vs. CHILD
 Change in orientation
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DIE/DEAD
COMMUNITY
CLASS
Location
 Minimal pairs
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APPLE vs. ONION
LUCKY vs. CLEVER
SAME vs. NEW YORK CITY
THIRTEEN vs. CUTE
 Change in location
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DEAF
FUN
KING
Movement
 Minimal pairs
 TOUGH vs. PHYSICS
 CAN vs. SHOES
 BROWN vs. BEER
 TURN AROUND vs. SINGLE
 Different types of movement
 straight: SEPARATED
 angled: PERCENT
 looping: WASHINGTON
 wiggling: COLOR
 twisting: WHERE
 nodding: YES
Number of hands
 One-handed signs
 MOTHER
 DEER
 COOL
 Two-handed signs
 HERE
 BICYCLE
 Minimal pairs
 PURPLE vs. PARTY
 BOY vs. TEACH
Non-manual expressions
 Signs articulated with non-manual
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OH I SEE
PROSTITUTE
 Minimal pairs
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HERE vs. WHAT
OLD vs. HOW-OLD
HOT vs. VERY HOT
Assimilation
 In handshape
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I
NAME
I AM NAMED
I
KNOW
I KNOW
Symmetry condition
 ‘if both hands move independently during a
given two-handed sign...then the
specifications for handshape and movement
must be identical, and the orientations must
be either identical or polar opposites
(reciprocals). Locations...must also be
specifed either as symmetrical or as polar
opposites.’ (Battison 1974)
If handshapes identical
 One hand can move
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PAPER
 Or both hands can move
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DIE/DEAD
But if handshapes not identical
 Only one hand can move
DRAW
 both hands cannot move
 phonological restriction
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