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Silent Languages. Chapter 5. Sign Language. FOR MANY YEARS PEOPLE DID NOT THINK SIGN LANGUAGE WAS A ‘ REAL ’ LANGUAGE THEY THOUGHT IT WAS RANDOM GESTURES THIS IDEA REFLECTS LINGUISTIC IDEOLOGY CALLED ORALITY
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Silent Languages Chapter 5
Sign Language • FOR MANY YEARS PEOPLE DID NOT THINK SIGN LANGUAGE WAS A ‘REAL’ LANGUAGE • THEY THOUGHT IT WAS RANDOM GESTURES • THIS IDEA REFLECTS LINGUISTIC IDEOLOGY CALLED ORALITY • THIS MEANS THAT PEOPLE TOOK FOR GRANTED THE IDEA THAT SPOKEN LANGUAGE WAS BETTER THAN ANY OTHER TYPE OF LANGAUGE • THEREFORE EDUCATION FOCUSED ON the oral approach of FINGERSPELLING AND LIPREADING and Manually coded English • Artificial language that follows exact structure of spoken English
Sign Language • William stokoe, jr learned and taught MCE but saw that students used sign language to communicate outside of class • this sign language had its own unique language structure
History of Sign Language • American sign language (asl) was developed from French sign language in the 1800s by Gallaudet and Clerc • all sign languages are different (British, French , Nicaraguan, etc.) and deaf people cannot speak to each other in these different forms of sign language • While most deaf people were taught the oral approach, they kept using sign language as a way to communicate with each other outside of class
asl • Asl has a different structure than spoken English • One-handed signs are made with the dominant hand, so they may be made with either the left or the right
asl • Asl has a different grammar than spoken English as well • English is subject-verb-object while asl is time-topic-comment • Example: • I ate a banana yesterday • Day-past me eat banana • Question words (why? How? Etc.) are at the beginning of sentences, not the end • Example: • WHAT DID HE BUY? • HE BUY WHAT?
asl • SOMETIMES ONE SIGN CAN STAND FOR A PHRASE OR SENTENCE • THERE IS ONE SIGN FOR ‘I ASK HER’ • THIS IS DIFFICULT FOR NON-ASL SIGNERS TO LEARN, SINCE THEY WANT TO MAKE A NEW SIGN FOR EACH SPOKEN WORD • Furrowing eyebrows or other facial features are also part of asl communication • Asl grammar: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QC9UYAW8j8
Manually coded signs • This is not natural sign language • In mcs, people attempt to teach spoken English to the deaf and uses the exact structure of spoken English • So, in order to sing the word ‘improving’ you would need to sign the word ‘improve’ and then sign the suffix ‘ing’ • In natural sign language improving has its own sign • When deaf children are taught mcs, they become very confused about morphemes and how to use them
Describing and analyzing signs • Review: • Phoneme = minimal meaningful portion of language • Chereme = structural unit or basic descriptive unit of signing; also called primes or sign phonemes • Sign language phonetics has: • Dez: hand shape and orientation • Tab: hand placement • Sig: hand movement • These are the building blocks of the language
Describing and analyzing signs • Sign language phonetics has: • Dez: hand shape and orientation • Flat hand, fist hand, index hand, cupped hand • “A,”“b,”‘c,” and ‘d’ (see pg. 123) • Tab: hand placement • near the face, head, and upper body • Sig: hand movement • up, down, toward the body, away from body, twisting, and across body • Practice the different signs for apple and candy on pg. 123
Change in sign language • Like any other language, sign languages change over time • New signs get introduced • Changes occur in placement • Varieties exist in northern/southern signers • There are differences by region; what we call ‘dialect’ • Differences exist between ages, genders, and ethnicities • the variety of (any) language you choose to speak/sign can convey information about you, including your identity, what group you belong to, etc.
modality • Modality is the channel through which a language is expressed • Spoken languages use oral channel • Sign languages use visual-gestural channel • Example: pronouns • In spoken English, we have these for people, number, gender, etc. • In asl, pointing indicates the person • For a person not physically there, an infinite number of pronouns can be made because the signer uses the empty space to describe him or her • Does this difference in the languages mean that the people using them have different views of the world?...
ASL In non-humans • We will discuss this more in a later chapter, but chimpanzees and gorillas have learned to communicate through asl • Washoe (chimp) • Koko (gorilla)
Nonverbal communication • Different cultures use different gestures to mean different things • You cannot effectively communicate in a culture until you know gestures and nonverbal communication • this includes • Gestures • Posture • Facial expressions • What we call ‘body language’
Nonverbal communication • Over 60% of messages are conveyed nonverbally • Sometimes nonverbal cues can override verbal signs
Nonverbal communication • There can be many misunderstandings • In Nicaragua, you point with your lip and signal a question by wrinkling nose • In Comoro islands, you signal ‘come here’ with what looks like ‘go away’ • Thumbs up can be a big insult • ‘okay’ sign can mean money in japan but an insult in germany • There are some guidebooks for this, but remember: • These constantly evolve • These can reinforce stereotypes • READ “9 INNOCENT GESTURES THAT WILL GET YOU PUNCHED IN THE FACE OVERSEAS”
Nonverbal communication • Proxemics is the study of how people perceive and use space • These vary by culture • Americans tend to not like to touch • How much space is between you and your classmates right now? • Even in subways, new Yorkers leave space between each person, while in Tokyo people are densely packed into each train • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7kor5nHtZQ
Personal space • There are four types of space: • Intimate • For americans, 0-18 inches • Personal • 18 in – 4 feet • Social • 4-12 feet • Public • 12+ feet
Personal space • What happens when someone from another culture that values closer spaces moves into your space? • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGVSIkEi3mM • Space can also mark status or dominance, so many times women feel dominated if men come too close • Space is also in workplace • Ceo has biggest office, then vp, …. Down to cubicles • Space in home • Master bedroom for parents and smallest room for youngest
kinesics • Kinesics is the study of body movement, facial expressions, and gestures • Gestures are not the same as signs; they are supplemental to language • Five categories: • Emblems: direct verbal translations (waving hello) • Illustrators: illustrate what is said (mimicking talking on phone) • Affect displays: convey emotion (smiles or frowns) • Regulators: control or coordinate interaction (indicating it is someone’s turn to talk) • Adaptors: facilitate release of body tension (nervous tapping)
kinesics • Kinesics also includes facial expressions, body movements, gaze, and posture • Direct eye contact is expected in some cultures and forbidden in others • Eyebrow movement is part of asl • Gestures can be simple systems or complex systems
kinesics • Kinesics also includes facial expressions, body movements, gaze, and posture • Direct eye contact is expected in some cultures and forbidden in others • Eyebrow movement is part of asl • Gestures can be simple systems or complex systems • Simple: • Routine (example: signals between pitcher and catcher) • Complex: • Can be used almost effectively as spoken language • Develop in situations in which people cannot verbally speak • Follow syntax of spoken language
kinesics • Facial expressions are most important • Some are universally recognized, and some are not, and sometimes people are deceitful
Language and Power • Language’s power, or effectiveness in communicating, allows people to use it to increase their personal power, or influence. • Very common in politics (we will discuss this more in chapter 7)
Nonverbal communication • Video log: • http://ed.ted.com/lessons/your-body-language-shapes-who-you-are-amy-cuddy