sign language - 830 Words

Sign Language 1 [The speaker begins by using Signed English to express the words, â€Å"You are my friend.†] Do you know what I just told you? The message I communicated probably escaped most of you. Communication through hand motions is something we do all the time without even thinking about it. For most of us, it’s a supplement to spoken language. But for many deaf and hearing-impaired people, sign language isn’t just a supplement, it’s a primary mode of communication. 2 I’m not an expert in sign language, but I’ve been interested in it for several years. My father is the treasurer for a group of deaf and hearing-impaired people, and I’ve attended some functions with that group. At those times, I had a chance to learn bits and†¦show more content†¦And now reverse, with the back and knuckles of your left hand hanging outward from your right hand. 12 Now please tell a classmate these four signs slowly: â€Å"You are my friend.† And now try to sign the whole sentence quickly: â€Å"You are my friend.† 13 What you just learned was Signed English. In American Sign Language, the word â€Å"are† is generally implied, so you wouldn’t need to use it. The sentence in ASL would usually just be â€Å"You’re my friend.† 14 In closing, I hope you learned that sign language is just as expressive as spoken language. Think back to the way we signed â€Å"friend.† That sign isn’t an arbitrary combination of empty symbols. It’s a visual depiction of the way friends really are—interdependent, interlocked. In addition to learning how to sign the sentence â€Å"You are my friend,† I hope you’ll also take away from this speech a new appreciation for the complexities of signShow MoreRelatedSign Language In Schools. Alternative Sign Language (Als)Is1445 Words   |  6 PagesSign Language In Schools Alternative Sign Language (ALS) is one language that seems to be forgotten about in our school systems. More schools (from elementary to secondary) have focused more on foreign languages like French and Spanish, while ALS is equally, if not more, important to have in our curriculum. In 2015, studies had shown 360 million people worldwide have seriously disabling hearing loss. Out of 6,500 spoken languages ASL is the sixth most used language so why is it not being taughtRead MoreLanguage And The American Sign Language953 Words   |  4 Pages A few of the important factors that I thought were important in this unit were the American Sign Language itself, the rules of social interaction in the Deaf culture, and Deaf literature. American Sign Language is well described in the book, â€Å"Introduction to American Deaf Culture† by Thomas K. Holcomb. Holcomb explains how American Sign Language is often confused with â€Å"English on the hands.† However, Holcomb cites, â€Å"Research has clearly determined that ASL has an independent grammar that happensRead MoreAmerican Sign Language Is Not A Universal Language1287 Words   |  6 Pagespeople who lack these kinds of ability, unfortunately. Unlike us, this group of people use sign language to communicate with others. For everyday life, deaf people use sign language to communicate with one another. It is a complete language that involves hand movement added with facial expression and body movements. According to National Associates of the Deaf (NAD), â€Å"American Sign Language (ASL) is a visual language. Through signing, the brain processes linguistic information through the eyes. The shapeRead MoreNative American Sign Language Essay1449 Words   |  6 PagesAmerican Sign Language Very basic, elementary and logical characteristics made the Native American Sign Language the worlds most easily learned language. It was Americas first and only universal language. The necessity for intercommunication between Indian tribes having different vocal speech developed gesture speech or sign language (Clark; pg. 11). Although there is no record or era dating the use of sign language, American Indian people have communicated with Indian Sign Language for thousandsRead MoreSummary : American Sign Language 957 Words   |  4 PagesHarmony Kelly Mrs. Barbara Carr American Sign Language 1 20 October 2015 Alice Cogswell What would you do if you were Deaf and living in America during the early 1800’s and before? Think of how hard it would be to learn when the teachers in the classroom would talk out loud and you couldn’t hear what they were saying. It was very difficult for Deaf students who lived before the 1800’s to get any education. Rich people would send their children across the ocean to Europe where they could attendRead MoreUnderstanding Deaf And American Sign Language1831 Words   |  8 Pagesforeign language to take. I had learned Spanish at a young age from my family, my two choices were French and American Sign Language, if you read the title of this paper you can safely assume that I chose the alternative. American Sign Language intrigued me at a young age when my father gave me a sign language book that illustrated some simple terms, ever since then it had always been a desire of mine to learn American Sign Language. With that being said, when I first started sign language class inRead MoreAmerican Sign Language And Deafness Essay1438 Words   |  6 PagesAmerican Sign Language and Deafness in American Culture Deafness has been an obstacle thousands of people have had to overcome since the dawn of time. Even in the not so distant past, the future was typically very bleak for individuals who were born or became deaf. However, the future of an individual who is Deaf has become much brighter due to the development of American Sign Language. As the name describes, this language relies solely on visible movements and facial expressions with no auditoryRead MoreSign Language Reflection Paper996 Words   |  4 PagesAmerican sign language is a form of communication used primary by deaf people. Every country has their own sign language just as every country has their own speaking language. According to 360Translations.com nearly 36 million American adults are dealing with some degree of hearing loss. My youngest brother suffers from hearing lost in his right ear, and partially in his left ear. Once he went to elementary school my mother was told that he was mentally delayed but she denied. Eventually, my motherRead MoreSigns Of The Deaf Community Sign Language1279 Words   |  6 PagesAmerican Sign Language There are thousands of languages spoken all over the world and hundreds spoken across the United States of America, but what about the language that isn’t technically spoken? The ability to speak in order to communicate is a privilege that most forget they have. Imagine the struggle of the injustice a person was served losing their ability to hear or speak normally. It’s heartbreaking because communication is so vital to a person’s life. However, imagine a system that allowsRead MoreThe American Sign Language Community Essay1221 Words   |  5 Pagescriteria Swales states is necessary to be a discourse community, I did an in depth research on the American Sign Language community. Through my study, I was able to meet all six characteristics. Literature Review According to Swales, there are two types of communities: speech and discourse. Swales defines a speech community as a group that shares similar linguistic goals, similar language, or both as â€Å"a community sharing knowledge of the rules for the conduct and interpretation of speech† (Swales