Language and communication is at the heart of society. Learning how to use language to communicate wants and have needs met can be a complex task for many children. Our course will explore how language develops and the intricate challenges many children face who experience a variety of physical, emotional and cognitive difficulties.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
ASL vs. Signed English
What's the difference between these two types of sign languages? If a student were attending an all deaf school or college would they be more likely to use ASL or Signed English? What does it mean if someone says they use Pidgin?
I am really interested in this answer. I had no idea there were so many choices. I am getting ready to take ASL, hopefully this summer and I am so excited about learning sign language.
What I've learned from taking ASL is that ASL is a language all in it's own. Just like if you were taking Spanish or another language with it's own grammar rules, ASL has it's own grammar rules. When you literally translate ASL into English it sometimes has to be rearranged to make sense to someone who speaks English. Signed English is just that, it's usually ASL signs in English order. So someone who can sign and talk at the same time is usually signing English, because it would be extremely difficult to sign ASL and be speaking English.
OK...so after I posted the first comment I was doing some reading for ASL and found an even more exact answer. The book gave this example Signed Exact English: I am going to the store. Pidgin Sign English: I am go to the store. ASL: Store + That One + I + Go + Now. So pretty much Pidgin Sign is in the middle of ASL and Signed Exact English. The book says "PSE omits some English grammar and words, and has more 'pure ASL' signs in it. Particles such as 'a' and 'the' are commonly omitted, but forms of the verb 'to be' are retained. PSE uses more fingerspelling than ASL, but less than Signed English.
Just in case you don't have enough to read for your other classes, and are really interested in learning more, "For Hearing People Only" is the book that had the answer and really has so many more answers to so many more questions!
5 comments:
I am really interested in this answer. I had no idea there were so many choices. I am getting ready to take ASL, hopefully this summer and I am so excited about learning sign language.
What I've learned from taking ASL is that ASL is a language all in it's own. Just like if you were taking Spanish or another language with it's own grammar rules, ASL has it's own grammar rules. When you literally translate ASL into English it sometimes has to be rearranged to make sense to someone who speaks English. Signed English is just that, it's usually ASL signs in English order. So someone who can sign and talk at the same time is usually signing English, because it would be extremely difficult to sign ASL and be speaking English.
OK...so after I posted the first comment I was doing some reading for ASL and found an even more exact answer.
The book gave this example
Signed Exact English: I am going to the store.
Pidgin Sign English: I am go to the store.
ASL: Store + That One + I + Go + Now.
So pretty much Pidgin Sign is in the middle of ASL and Signed Exact English. The book says
"PSE omits some English grammar and words, and has more 'pure ASL' signs in it. Particles such as 'a' and 'the' are commonly omitted, but forms of the verb 'to be' are retained. PSE uses more fingerspelling than ASL, but less than Signed English.
Just in case you don't have enough to read for your other classes, and are really interested in learning more, "For Hearing People Only" is the book that had the answer and really has so many more answers to so many more questions!
Thank you
Thank you guys so much! This was a little unclear to me and now I have a better understanding.
Post a Comment