ASL English Interpretation, B.A. Study Guide. INTR 111 ASL Linguistics

Transcription

1 ASL English Interpretation, B.A. Study Guide INTR 111 ASL Linguistics Fall 2015

2 University of Northern Colorado American Sign Language English Interpretation Program Copyright 2015 by the University of Northern Colorado-Distance Opportunities for Interpreter Training Center All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the UNC-DO IT Center. The faculty and staff of the DO IT Center and the University of Northern Colorado bring expertise and many years of experience, passion, and dedication to supporting students working towards educational goals. While students can grow substantially from that platform of support, individual success or failure in achieving the outcomes of your specific program is ultimately your own responsibility. Communication is especially important within any distance education program. If questions or concerns arise or if something outside your control is interfering with your education, please contact your instructor, advisor or the administrative office. DO IT Center Lowry Campus 1059 Alton Way, Box 7 Denver, CO

3 Table of Contents Course Overview... 1 Purpose... 1 Impact... 1 Objectives... 1 Grading Scale... 2 Late Assignment Policy... 2 Required Materials... 4 Textbooks...4 Readings (available on ereserves)...4 Course Preview... 5 Course Roadmap... 8 Assignments Assignment Overview Course Summary Conclusion Key Points Next Steps... 19

4 Course Overview Purpose The purpose of this course is to provide an understanding of the structural properties of ASL including phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics. The focus is how signed languages differ from and are similar to spoken languages. Impact Linguistic knowledge and analysis is fundamental to interpreting. This course provides a foundation for life-long development of cognitive processing, metalinguistic awareness, and self-assessment skills. Objectives By the end of this course, you will be able to: Define the concepts of language and linguistics. Demonstrate an understanding of phonological, morphological, syntactic, and semantic features of ASL. Describe the basic characteristics of signed and spoken languages. Identify and describe the structure and use of American Sign Language with attention to sociolinguistic rules concerning ASL in the Deaf Community. Identify and describe the features of various English signing systems. Identify and describe bilingualism and language contact. Write a transcription of an ASL text. INTR 111: ASL Linguistics 1

5 Grading Scale The points for all the assignments in a course will add up to 100 and letter grades are assigned as follows for UNDERGRADUATE classes: A = superior achievement of course objectives B = above average achievement of objectives (Reminder: you must maintain at least a B per class to meet graduation requirements) C/D = below acceptable achievement of objectives 60 or below is considered not passing. Late Assignment Policy Late assignments will be accepted and graded for up to 72 hours after the due date and time, but the final grade will be dropped one letter. Late assignments submitted after the 72 hours that have not been approved in advance with the respective Section Facilitator will NOT be graded and students will receive a zero as the assignment grade. Extensions for assignment due date and time must be approved in advance with the respective Section Facilitator based on the following criteria: The extension is requested at least 24 hours in advance of the due date and time. An extension is requested no more than once during any given semester. No late work will be accepted in the last three days of this course. Exceptions to the above criteria will only be considered based on documented evidence of special circumstances such as illness, hospitalization or death of a family member. INTR 111: ASL Linguistics 2

6 Plagiarism Policy Policy on Plagiarism: Plagiarism is the act of appropriating the written, artistic, or musical composition of another, or portions thereof; or the ideas, language, or symbols of same and passing them off as the product of one's own mind. Plagiarism includes not only the exact duplication of another's work but also the lifting of a substantial or essential portion thereof (UNC definition). Regarding written work in particular, direct quotations, statements which are a result of paraphrasing or summarizing the work of another, and other information which is not considered common knowledge must be cited or acknowledged, usually in the form of a footnote. Quotation marks or a proper form of indentation shall be used to indicate all direct quotes. Regarding class projects, you are not to use as your entire presentation the completed works of faculty members, fully imported websites, or any other body of work in which you are not the author. Of course, with proper referencing, you can import portions of such works and websites to enhance and illustrate your presentation, and you can provide references to these other works for students who have an interest in pursuing a topic further. For further information, go to the following website: Inclusivity Statement The College of Education and Behavioral Sciences (CEBS) supports an inclusive learning environment where diversity and individual differences are understood, respected, appreciated and recognized as a source of strength. We expect that students, faculty and staff within CEBS will be accepting of differences and demonstrate diligence in understanding how other peoples perspectives, behaviors, and world views may be different from their own. Furthermore, as stated by UNC, The University will not engage in unlawful discrimination in educational services against any person because of race, religion, gender, age, national origin, disability, or veteran status. It is the University s policy to prohibit discrimination in educational services on the basis of sexual orientation or political affiliation. (See Please visit the CEBS Diversity and Equity Committee website for more information on our commitment to diversity ( Students with Disabilities Accommodations Statement Students who believe that they may need accommodations in this class are encouraged to contact the Disability Support Services, voice/tty (970) , or fax (970) , or visit as soon as possible to ensure that accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion. INTR 111: ASL Linguistics 3

7 Required Materials Textbooks Valli, C., Lucas, C., & Mulrooney, K.J. & Villanueva, M. (2012). Linguistics of American Sign Language: An introduction. (5 th ed.) Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press. ISBN: Note: The textbook includes a DVD that contains a variety of clips of historical and content interest. The DVD will be used for homework assignments Readings (available on ereserves) Reading #1: Baker-Shenk, C. & Cokely, D. (1991). American Sign Language: A teacher s resource text on grammar and culture (pp.1-29). Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press. Reading #2: Gustason, G. & Zawolkow, E. (1993). Signing exact English dictionary (pp. VII-XXIII). Los Alamitos, CA: Modern Sign Press. Additional readings may be posted in Blackboard. INTR 111: ASL Linguistics 4

8 Course Preview In this course, you will study linguistic concepts as they relate to ASL and English, as well as their application to interpreting theory and practice. Assignment 1 (Participation) consists of eleven online discussions of the concepts learned in each lesson. Through the online discussions of readings and homework, you will have the opportunity to develop understanding of the concepts and their relationship to your work as a student and to the work of an interpreter, the ability to discuss the concepts in a scholarly and objective fashion, and an ability to analyze and critique your own work and the work of others. In Assignment 2 (Homework), you will apply the concepts you have learned in each lesson. Lesson 1 - Introduction to Language and Linguistics This lesson begins by providing brief definitions of language and linguistics from Lucas, Valli, and Mulrooney (2005). The discussion continues with what communication systems are, how language fits into this category, and other examples of communication systems. In this lesson, you will examine what makes up a communication system and what features appear in language that distinguishes language from other communication systems. You will consider misconceptions about language and whether a language can be good or bad. We will also answer the question, Why study language? A GoToMeeting audio conference will be scheduled sometime during this lesson to engage students and the instructor in a real-time interaction for the purpose of reviewing course goals, content and assignments.. Lesson Objectives: Describe the basic characteristics of signed and spoken languages Differentiate between a language and a communication system Define the concepts of language and linguistics. Lesson 2 Phonology and Phonetics This lesson begins with an overview of phonology and phonetics. You will consider what the phonetics of a signed language look like. The notion that speech sounds and signs have parts and how those parts may be represented will be analyzed. The difference between an orthographic system and a notation or transcription system will be examined. Assignment 3 (Snowmobile Story Transcription) requires you to complete a written representation of an ASL text and reflect on the experience. The notions of sequentiality and simultaneity will be explored. You will be introduced to two types of phonological analysis, one sequential and the other simultaneous. Lesson Objectives: Define phonology Differentiate between simultaneity and sequentiality in phonological analysis INTR 111: ASL Linguistics 5

9 Transcribe a brief ASL video using the Baker and Cokely transcription system. Lesson 3 Morphology In this lesson, you will examine word formation and what makes up the lexicon or the mental dictionary that stores word/sign lists along with information about the production, form, and meaning of those words/signs. You will look at a number of word formation processes that result in new items in the lexicon. You will also examine free and bound morphology, and the ways in which bound morphemes affect meaning. Lesson Objectives: Describe word formation processes in ASL and English Describe the processes of compounding, borrowing, numeral incorporation and derivational morphology. Lesson 4 - Syntax In this lesson, you will explore the ways that words and morphemes are organized within phrases and sentences in systematic ways. You will analyze and compare various sentence types and other grammatical features as they appear in ASL and in English. A GoToMeeting audio conference will be scheduled sometime during this lesson to engage students and the instructor in a real-time interaction for the purpose of reviewing course goals, content and assignments.. Lesson Objectives: Describe the various sentence types in ASL Discuss sign order in ASL Define and give examples of lexical categories in ASL and English Describe the role of space in ASL Describe features related to time and aspect in ASL Describe types of verbs in ASL Lesson 5 - Semantics In this lesson, you will consider the systematic ways that languages, especially ASL and English, structure meaning. Lesson Objective: Describe the ways in which ASL structures meaning at the level of individual signs and sentences. Lesson 6 Language in Use In this lesson, you will examine and categorize the ways in which sociolinguistic features influence and affect communication and language use. You will look at how sociolinguistics affect language at each level (e.g., phonological and syntactic). In this lesson, you will identify, compare, and analyze ASL vlogs on the internet that exemplify sociolinguistic variation. A GoToMeeting audio conference will be scheduled sometime during this lesson to engage students and the instructor in a INTR 111: ASL Linguistics 6

10 real-time interaction for the purpose of reviewing course goals, content and assignments.. In this section, you will also analyze the ways in which languages come into contact focusing specifically on what happens when English and ASL come into contact. This is an exciting exploration of language in action. The internet is exploding with ASL vlogs that are full of current samples of language contact. Assignment 4, a project about contact variety signing, will provide you with the opportunity to explore this topic in depth and observe examples on the internet and in person. Lesson Objectives: Define sociolinguistics Describe historical changes in ASL Describe variation in ASL between communities of signers Discuss ASL discourse Describe the results of language contact Identify instances of contact signing Lesson 7 English Support Systems In this lesson, you will explore Manual Codes for English, in general, and SEE 2, specifically. You will identify different types of English support systems, explain the origin of these systems, and analyze your own language use and how it is affected by such systems. You will also study the origins of SEE 2 and develop ways that linguistic knowledge of SEE 2, ASL, and English may be used together successfully to benefit children. In this lesson, you will search the internet for resources on Manual Codes for English. Lesson Objective: Identify and describe the features of various English signing systems. INTR 111: ASL Linguistics 7

11 Course Roadmap Use this as your map while traveling on your distance-learning journey. All the information you need to complete the course is here in one location. Use the last column to check off each item as you complete it. Icons in the roadmap are used to indicate activities/assignments worth points for grading and non-web activities (readings, media, etc.). Dates before or next to any activity indicate specific dates for that item. Points Dates Activities Done! Assignment 1 includes participation in the online discussions, marked with this icon. Both original and response postings must be completed during the time allotted for that discussion. Postings made after the closing date will not receive credit. Assignment 2 includes the homework assignments, marked with this icon. Assignments and homework marked with this icon should be submitted to the appropriate Assignment Tool. Lesson 1 Introduction to Language and Linguistics Points Dates Activities Done! 8/ Online: Post your introduction. NOTE: A GoToMeeting conference will be held sometime during the week of 9/1-5. GoToMeeting is a conferencing tool that will allow the students and teacher to connect at the same time live. The conference will last about minutes and is for the purpose of reviewing the course goals, content and assignments. Instructions for how to log onto a GoToMeeting conference will be posted as a course announcement. Each conference will be archived for review. 8/ Textbook: File 1.2: Course Objectives, pp Part One: Introduction: Unit 1: Defining Language, pp Unit 2: Defining Linguistics, pp File 1.1: Why Study Language? pp File 1.3: Good Language, pp File 1.4: Arbitrariness in Language, pp / Online Discussion: Post original response to Discussion Questions. Respond to at least one post by another student. INTR 111: ASL Linguistics 8

12 Lesson 2 Phonology and Phonetics 8/31-9/5 8/ Textbook: Live conference this week, time TBA. File 4.1: What is Phonology? pp File 3.1: What is Phonetics? pp Part 2: Unit 3: Signs Have Parts. pp / Homework: (in textbook) Unit 4: The Stokoe System, pp Page 26, #1, #2, and #3 For #1, select four signs Page 27, #1-4 Select six signs from #1 and #3, and four from #2. Describe one sign in #4 using the descriptors you came up with in #1-#3. Page 33, #1 d & g 9/ Online Discussion: Post your description for Page 27, #4 for peer feedback. 9/5 2.4 Textbook: Provide feedback to at least one student. Unit 5: The Concept of Sequentiality in the Description of Signs, pp Unit 6: The Liddell and Johnson Movement-Hold Model, pp Unit 7: Phonological Processes pp Unit 8: Summary 9/6 2.5 Reading #1: Transcription Symbols from Baker and Cokely (1980), pp Assignment #3: Read information for Assignment #3 in the Assignment Descriptions in the Assignments area of the class. The Assignment is due on 9/30. (NOTE: This assignment is very detailed. Please give yourself plenty of time to complete it.) 9/ Homework (in textbook): Page 46: For #1, select one noun and one verb. For #2, select one sign from either #1 or #2 and transcribe as instructed in #2. Page 52: #1 INTR 111: ASL Linguistics 9

13 9/ Online Discussion: Post your transcription for #2 above for peer feedback. Only one student in each section may transcribe each sign. Post early and make sure that you are not duplicating the transcription done by another student. Provide feedback to at least one student. 9/13 Assignment 2: Submit homework for this lesson to the Assignment Tool. (Activities 2.2, 2.6) Lesson 3 Morphology 9/ Textbook: Part Three: Morphology Unit 9: Building New Signs pp File 5.1: Morphology: Words and Word Formation, pp File 5.4: Morphological Processes, pp T: Morphological Processes 9/ Homework (in textbook) p. 66: #1-3. 9/ Textbook: Unit 10: Deriving Nouns from Verbs in ASL, pp Unit 11: Compounds, pp / Homework (in textbook): p. 73, #2 and #3. 9/ Textbook: Unit 12: Fingerspelling, pp Reading: Reflective Writing 9/ Homework (in textbook) p. 81, #1-2. 9/ Textbook: Unit 13: Numeral Incorporation, pp / Homework (in textbook) p. 85, #2. 9/ Online Discussion: Post one homework assignment from this section online for peer comment and INTR 111: ASL Linguistics 10

14 discussion. Provide feedback to at least one student in a separate homework thread. 9/27 Assignment 2: Submit homework for this lesson to the Assignment Tool. (Activities 3.2, 3.4, 3.6, and 3.8) Lesson 4 Syntax 9/30 Assignment 3: Complete the transcription and reflection on the experience. Submit to the Assignment Tool. 9/ Textbook: Part Four Unit 14: Introduction, p /30-10/1 Unit 15: Basic Sentence Types, pp Syntax: The Analysis of Sentence Structure, pp Homework (in textbook) p. 99, #1 4.3 NOTE: A GoToMeeting conference will be posted sometime during the week of 10/5-10. The conference will last about minutes and is for the purpose of reviewing Assignment 3 and looking ahead to upcoming topics and assignments. 10/2 4.4 Textbook: Unit 16: Lexical Categories, pp / Homework (in textbook) p. 111, #1. 10/5-10 Live conference this week, time TBA 10/5 4.6 Textbook: Unit 17: Word Order, pp / Homework (in textbook) p. 119, #1 & 2 10/ Online Discussions: Post one homework assignment from this section online for peer comment and discussion. Respond and provide feedback to at least one student posting of an assignment different from yours. INTR 111: ASL Linguistics 11

15 10/ Textbook: Unit 18 Time and Aspect, pp T: Aspect 10/ Homework: (in textbook) p. 132, #3 10/ Textbook: Unit 19: Verbs 10/ Homework (in textbook) p. 145, #1- #3 (Note: this homework requires you to view clips on the textbook DVD.) 10/ Textbook: Unit 20: The Function of Space 10/ Online Discussion: A. Post one homework assignment from this section online for peer comment and discussion. Provide feedback to at least one student in a separate homework thread. B. Locate examples of the three types of depicting verbs described on pp in ASL vlogs found online. Include links to the vlogs in your posts. Lesson 5 Semantics 10/24 Assignment 2: Submit homework for this lesson to the Assignment Tool. (Activities 4.2, 4.5, 4.7, 4.10, 4.12) 10/ Textbook: Semantics: The Analysis of Meaning, pp /26-27 Part Five: Unit 21: The Meaning of Individual Signs, pp Homework: (in textbook) p. 162, #1 & 2 10/ Textbook: Unit 22: The Meaning of Sentences, pp INTR 111: ASL Linguistics 12

16 10/ Homework (In textbook) p. 168, #1 and #2. 10/30-11/4 5.5 Online Discussion: Post one homework assignment from this section online for peer comment and discussion. Respond and provide feedback to at least one student posting of an assignment different from yours. 11/4 Assignment 2: Submit homework for this lesson to the Assignment Tool. (Activities 5.2, 5.4) Lesson 6: Language in Use 11/5 6.1 Textbook: File 10.1: Introduction to Language Variation, pp File 10.2: Variation at Different Levels of Linguistic Structure, pp File 10.3: Language and Socioeconomic Status, pp Part Six: Language in Use: Unit 23: Variation and Historical Change, pp T: Sociolinguistics NOTE: A GoToMeeting conference will be held sometime during the week of 11/2-7. The conference will last about minutes and is for the purpose of reviewing the course content since the last event and looking ahead to upcoming topics and assignments. 11/ Homework (in textbook) p. 178, #3 11/ Online Discussion: Identify two ASL Vlogs for comparison. The topics should be similar (e.g., linguistics of ASL). The presenters should vary in one sociolinguistic feature (e.g., gender, race, or age). Compare the language use and identify similarities and differences between the two signers. Provide the links to the sites. Provide feedback to at least one student and respond to at least one posting. 11/ Textbook: Unit 24: ASL Discourse, pp INTR 111: ASL Linguistics 13

17 11/ Homework (in textbook) p. 186, #4 11/ Textbook: Unit 25: Bilingualism & Language Contact, pp /14 Assignment 5: Begin contact variety signing project. Due 12/10 11/ Textbook: Unit 26: Language as Art, pp / Homework (in textbook) p. 202, #3 11/ Online Discussion: Post one homework assignment from this section online for peer comment and discussion. Respond and provide feedback to at least one student posting of an assignment different from yours. 11/20 Assignment 2: Submit homework for this lesson to the Assignment Tool. (Activities 6.2, 6.5, 6.8) 11/20-24 Lesson 7 English Support Systems 6.10 Online Discussion: Post your analysis of one of the vlogs in the contact signing project (Assignment 5). Respond to at least one student and provide substantive feedback on his/her post. November Thanksgiving Holiday 11/ Reading: Read pp. VII-XXII in Gustason, G. & Zawolkow, E. (1993). Signing Exact English Dictionary. T: Initialization 12/ Online Research and Discussion: Post the results of your research for Assignment 4, summarizing your article and one website. Give the citations for both, so that your classmates can locate them. Respond to at least one peer s discussion. INTR 111: ASL Linguistics 14

18 12/5 Assignment 4: Signed English Research Submit your assignment to the Assignment Tool 12/10 Assignment 5: Contact Variety Signing Final submission Post contact signing project to the Assignment Tool. Complete Course Evaluation and you re done! Check your Bearmail for the dates the evaluation is open. Final grades will be posted within 3 days of the end of the semester. INTR 111: ASL Linguistics 15

19 Assignments Assignment Overview NOTE: The Assignment Overview gives only a general idea of each assignment. In order to complete the assignments successfully, you will need to download the Assignments Descriptions found in the Assignments area of the Bb class and follow the instructions and rubric (if applicable) for each assignment. You should also download and read the rubric for each assignment before completing it. Assignment Description Points Assignment 1 Participation 35 points Participate in 12 online discussions. Ongoing Assignment 2 Ongoing See Roadmap for details and dates. Assignment 3 Due: 9/30 The first online discussion will be introductions. For all subsequent discussions you should post both your initial posting and a reply/feedback to one of your peers. Both types of postings should offer substantive and/or new insight. Do your original post as soon as the discussion opens to allow time for response posts. Response posts must be completed by the closing of the discussion in order to receive credit. Homework: Each lesson requires you to complete homework from your textbook in order to practice, apply, and discuss what you are learning. These assignments should be submitted to the Assignment Tool by the due date indicated in the Roadmap. Please put all the homework assignments for a single due date in one document. In order to participate effectively in the online discussions, you should complete the homework as you complete the readings corresponding to each homework assignment. You must include your name in the title of the file and as a header or footer on the document in order to receive full credit. Snowmobile Story Transcription This assignment includes two parts: Part 1: Transcription: You will begin the process of transcribing a small portion of the ASL text (90 seconds), following the transcription system given in the course materials. The Snowmobile Story is located on the textbook DVD. Part 2: Reflection Once you have completed the transcription, you will write a reflection on this process. Transcripts and reflections should be submitted as one document to the Assignment Tool by the due date. You must include your name in the title of the file and as a header or footer on the document in order to receive full credit. 20 points 20 points total 12 points 8 points INTR 111: ASL Linguistics 16

20 Assignment Description Points Assignment 4 Due: 12/5 Signed English Research Find a site on the internet that provides an introduction to signed English systems. Write a review of the site. Using the Library link at the left of the Blackboard screen, locate a scholarly, peer reviewed article that discusses signed English. Summarize the article. 5 points Assignment 5 Due: 12/10 Contact Variety Signing Project Reflection: Record two videos of yourself signing. One should be a story from your own experience, and the other on an academic topic. Analyze and reflect on how your signing is affected by language contact and/or contact variety signing. Vlogs: View and analyze assigned vlogs produced by Deaf people, and analyze them for contact signing and ASL features. Total Points: points Be sure you follow the guidelines in your Student Handbook throughout the course for each assignment. Guidelines For Use Of Technology Guidelines For Online Discussions Guidelines For Written Assignments INTR 111: ASL Linguistics 17

21 Course Summary Conclusion Phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and sociolinguistics combine to form language. For communication to be successful, you must consider how words/signs are put together, be it sounds in combination or the correct hand movement and palm orientation. In addition, take into account the appropriate syntax and the meaning attached to the words you use. Finally, you must know how sociolinguistic factors affect language and language use. Understanding the building blocks of language and linguistic study will enhance your ability to analyze your own language use, the language use of the people with whom you work, and the interpretations that you produce. Key Points Key points to remember are: A communication system is composed of symbols (e.g., Morse code and ASL) that are organized and used systematically. The form of the symbols may be arbitrary or iconic and members of a community share the system. Language is a system of arbitrary codes that we learn to use to communicate, but it is more than a symbol system. Language has several features that differentiate it from a symbol system such as Morse code. Linguistics is the study of language. All languages are made up of phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and the social rules that govern language use. Phonology is the study of the smallest units of a language that have no meaning and associated rules. Morphology refers to how words are structured and the study of morphemes the smallest meaningful unit of speech. Semantics involves the study of the meaning of language. Syntax refers to word/sign order, and how words/signs are arranged. Sociolinguistics is the study of how language varies depending upon social factors and their effect upon language use. Several signed English systems have been created in the hope that they would enhance English language development for Deaf and hard of hearing children. Contact variety signing is a result of sociolinguistic factors within the American Deaf Community. INTR 111: ASL Linguistics 18

22 Next Steps While this course is still fresh in your mind, pause to review your learning, looking through the lens of your final portfolio that is due at the end of your ASLEI journey. Consider the following: 1) Identify any applicable Entry-to-Practice Competencies that may be related to the course objectives; 2) Identify possible evidence items; 3) Identify potential reflection pieces that could be used in the narrative of the Coversheet; 4) Use your organizational system to house these items and thoughts until you are ready to work on writing future Coversheets; (Hint: If it's possible to work on all or part of a Coversheet at this time, why not draft it now?!) and finally, 5) Check in with classmates to see if some collaborative thinking might be worth your investment of time what did others identify and how are they thinking of using the learning from this course? INTR 111: ASL Linguistics 19

23 Quality Instruction Preparing Qualified Interpreters