COURSE DESCRIPTION

Provides an introductory overview of linguistic structures as they pertain to American Sign Language (ASL).

GENERAL COURSE PURPOSE

To emphasize on the comparison of signed and spoken languages.

ENTRY LEVEL COMPETENCY

Prerequisites ASL 102  (American Sign Language II) or equivalent.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:

A. describe the difference between language and communication
B. describe all the major linguistics components of a language giving an example from both ASL and English
C. identify processes within each component giving examples from ASL and English
D. describe the differences between the structure of ASL and English providing some examples
E. describe how some ASL structures are unique to signed languages
F. describe previous notions of the structure of ASL and how those ideas have developed
G. support or refute previous and current claims regarding ASL
H. demonstrate comprehension of sociolinguistics and how the users influence the language
I. differentiate different types of variation
J. demonstrate comprehension of the role of ASL in the Deaf Community
K. demonstrate comprehension of the role of ASL and signing systems in Deaf Education

I. Basic Concepts

A. Introduction to Linguistic Terms
B. Symbols and Meaning
C. Language vs. Communication

II. Phonology

A. International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA)
B. Stokoe Notation: sequential glossing
C. Hold - Movement - Hold Model: simultaneous glossing
D. Phonological Processes
1. examples - English
2. movement epenthesis/hold deletion
3. weak hand deletion

III. Morphology

A. Examples - English
1. morphemes (free and bound)
2. words

B. Word Formation
1. nouns to verbs
2. compounds
3. reduplication
4. lexicalization (lexicalized fingerspelling/load signs)

C. Aspect
1. temporal
2. continuitive
3. perfect
4. distributional

D. Classifiers
 
E. Agreement


F. Numeral Incorporation

IV. Syntax

A. Basic Word Order and Sentence Structure - English
B. Basic Word Order and Sentence Structure - ASL
1. various sentence types
2. plain verbs
3. agreement verbs

C. Non-Manual Signals


V. Semantics

A. English

B. ASL

1. words
2. sentences

VI. Sociolinguistics

A. Language Use

B. Language Variation (in the Deaf Community)

1. dialects
2. registers
3. code switching

C. Deaf Education
1. signed English
2. simultaneous communication
3. contact signing