Concerns about ASL and English Mixed
He wants to discuss on if we should be strictly comply ASL way or acceptable due to culture? Discussion is welcome!
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My concern is if we separate English and ASL into two different languages, it will drive apart the hearing and deaf cultures…… I wish there was some way hearing and deaf can form the same language so that everyone can communicate with each other. I’m tired of seeing segregation due to different languages, rules, and syntax. I’d rather see unity between both groups. That’s my view point as a Deaf person.
It isn’t my point in my vlog. I am talked about in classroom alone. I am not talking about separating English and ASL. Some hearing people are fluency in ASL even though English is their first language. I believe that we separate English and ASL in classroom is benefiting to hearing people because they can understand from ASL to English. If we don’t teach ASL but some mixed English within ASL, then how can they understand some Deaf people with pure ASL. I understand your point. I believe hearing and Deaf people are equal in everything included language. Thanks for left a comment here.
I have met only two people who use pure ASL my entire life. ASL in English word order seems to more common with deaf people I meet and interact with. I see nothing wrong with mixing English with ASL, which seems to be working quite well with hearing people learning sign language and the deaf/hoh people for communication purposes.
I agree that is nothing wrong with mixing English with ASL if it is outside of ASL class. In ASL classroom needs to be more ASL fully to teach to hearing students so that they can learn more diversity languages outside of classroom.
I agree. I think it is important for ASL to be strictly taught in the classroom. There is no need to mix English. People naturally do this outside if class ( mix English with ASL). This is how I learned (using strictly ASL in class). When learning new language, there is no need to mix another language with it.
Yeah, that is true. I favor in full ASL in classroom and able to pick up more diversity languages outside of ASL class.
I grew up with using initialized signs for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Many in deaf culture use these signs. Many in olden days used it too. Influenced by hearing? Maybe it isn’t, maybe it has always been part of how deaf cultured folks sign. I think flexibility should be there. Can share both with class, me thinks. Look at history of sign language, if it evolved naturally, fine but if it was imposed then it’s not natural.
Sign for breakfast B, lunch L and dinner D were created by SEE in 1970s. I checked history it used EAT+MORNING, EAT+LUNCH, etc. We picked up some English signs from SEE and other sign language, not ASL. There is only a few English signs accepted in ASL such as family = (2h) F.
My family isn’t SEE and it’s been used prior to 70′s. The sign you used was not used in my area prior to 70′s. There are many letter initiated signs that are part of sign language such as toliet or bathroom with T. It seems like current ASL classes are trying so hard to remove initialized signs? When in fact it was and still is a big part of Deaf culture and has nothing to do with SEE. Are there sources to back up your claim that these signs were created by SEE? Thanks in advance for answering these questions (if you’re able).
hi Guy i am agree with you use asl breadfast also i am very strong asl , should be strict and not diversity in the your classroom and favor asl in the classroom I am from Ontario
Hi there! Yeah, I agree.
I don’t think strict ASL should be used when communicating outside of class. But, from my experience, taking ASL classes taught by deaf people who used strictly ASL in class were the best and most interesting for me. I learned better when we focused on learning one language.
Of course there were a lot of discussions about using English with ASL, and how most signers outside of class will sign using a mixture of ASL and English. It makes sense because we live in a country where English is the dominant language.There were discussions about how sometimes incorporating more English version signs and fingerspelling cannotbe avoided because sometimes it is difficult to use ASL signs for certain concepts. No one looked down on this or seemed to have a problem with this (well except for one interesting teacher, who was a little too passionate about Deaf Culture and obsessed with being an “ASL purist”, LOL). Oh, the arguments we had. But, I loved how no matter how heated and passionate the discussions became in class we would all usually meet afterwards for coffee or drinks and just have a good time. : )
We were told that it should not matter how we communicate, just as long as we are able to make sense and interact with others who sign. But, when we were in class, we were expected to use and learn strictly ASL.
I enjoyed these classes.
Candy,
I also met deaf people in their 60s and older who used initialized signs for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Of course sign language is going to be influenced by whatever language happens to be the dominant language used by the majority. I agree, I would not say that hearing people influenced sign language directly. Among several other factors, the dominant language used, which in our case is English, influenced signed languages in America. Just like how our English is influenced by other languages, with words like deja vu. There are so many factors to consider when looking at how languages evolved. It would be impossible to attribute the way language was formed to one sole factor. Language is fascinating stuff, huh?
I would agree with Toby that we should use pure ASL in the classroom. If they want to mix ASL and English, someone will have to explain why the rules are different. Actually, we are trying to have ASL as standard language for the deaf. They need to learn to accept the fact that ASL is a pure language for the deaf.
I looked way back in my years in college at Gally. I joined New Signers Program where I first learned ASL. My teacher was pure ASL teacher. He forbids us using English and then when school started, some of the students asked if I went to deaf institute. They didn’t believe me that I never was attended to deaf institute because I was pretty good ASL at the time.