Language & Linguistics
What makes ASL a real language?
It follows clear rules, has structure and grammar, and can express unlimited ideas.
What are the five basic parts, or parameters, that make up a sign?
Handshape, location, movement, palm orientation, and non-manual markers.
Who was the first person to really prove that ASL is a true language?
William Stokoe.
Who came up with the Movement-Hold Model?
Liddell and Johnson
What does Movement Epenthesis mean in signing?
Adding a small movement between two signs to connect them smoothly.
What's the difference between between communication and language?
Give one pair of signs that look almost the same but differ in location.
SUMMER and DRY or APPLE and ONION.
Stokoe broke signs into three parts. What are they called?
Dez (handshape), Tab (location), and Sig (movement).
In this model, what do H and M stand for?
H stands for Hold, and M stands for Movement.
What happens during Hold Reduction?
A hold between signs is shortened for smoother, faster signing.
Name one feature that all human languages share.
They all use symbols, grammar, and can create new ideas.
Which parameter changes between the signs RED and SWEET.
Handshape.
What major features was missing from Stokoe's model that later models added.
Palm orientation and non-manual markers.
What does the symbol X mean in a sign's structure?
A short hold.
What is Metathesis? Give one ASL example.
When parts of a sign switch order, like DEAF (ear-to-chin vs. chin-to-ear).
Explain the difference between descriptive and prescriptive grammar rules.
Descriptive explains how people actually use language; prescriptive tells how it "should" be used.
How can changing just one parameter affect a sign's meaning?
It creates a completely different sign and changes the meaning.
Why was Stokoe's research such a big deal for Deaf education and ASL recognition?
It proved ASL has grammar and structure like spoken languages.
Why is the Movement-Hold more detailed than Stokoe's system?
It shows how signs move and change through time, not just static features.
What does Assimilation mean in ASL signing?
One sign takes on a feature of a nearby sign, like handshape or location.
How does the concept of duality of patterning apply to ASL?
Small, meaningless parts (like handshape or location) combine to form meaningful signs, showing ASL structure as a true language.
How do simultaneous parameters show that ASL is a visual-spatial language?
ASL combines parameters at the same time, unlike English, which is sequential. This shows visual-spatial structure in sign formation.
Identify one shortcoming of Stokoe's model when describing fluent ASL.
It only showed static parts of signs and couldn't explain movement sequences or sign transitions.
Compare how timing and rhythm are represented in the Movement-Hold Model versus the Stokoe System.
The Movement-Hold shows duration and sequence of movements and holds; Stokoe's system shows only simultaneous features.
How does identifying phonological processes as rule-governed support ASL's status as a natural language?
It shows ASL follows predictable patterns and linguistic rules, not random motions proving it's systematic like spoken languages.