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From:
"Karlin, Ben" Date: Wed May 13, 1998 8:22 pm Subject: Language History and Imperialism (Was: Standardization of ASL) | ||||||||||||||||
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bettibonni wrote in answer to -- I forget who -- sorry: > I was very intrigued to find this difference in grammatical structure, and > can't help but feel that SignWriting is the way to standardize ASL across > North American to the benefit of all users, deaf and hearing alike. After > all, this is what increased literacy has done for every other language in > the World. > BB> I have mixed feelings about this, and am not sure this is a totally valid BB> assertion. I also have mixed feelings about it but don't spend much time worrying about it. English, for example, has had written forms for centuries but standardization of English is fairly recent. Even still, although we value "standardization" in this current age, most language-bound communities do not go to the lengths of establishing an Academie which rules on appropriate usage. Growing up I remember reading the Chicago Tribune which had a wacky campaign to standardize spelling: Thru for through, etc etc. It still is the one voice in the wilderness. Let's not confuse self-expression, writing, literacy and standardization as the same thing . > I firmly believe that if children learn SignWriting before they learn > English, their literacy level in English will increase and English will be > easier for them to learn. After all, as it stands, English is not only a > second language to native ASL users, but it is also limited only to the > written form. That is a much harder way to learn any language, particularly > if you cannot already read your own.. BB> Somehow I get the feeling that ASL (or any signed language) is an inferior BB> language and the purpose of any teaching technique would be to master a spoken BB> language? BB> Or did I read all this wrong? I suggest you read it wrong. While this group seems more attuned to catching the implications that Deaf people are inferior to Hearing and Deaf Language is inferior to Hearing Language, I hope this will be one spot where we never duke it out on those issues. My reading is that since many children learn to read their own language by learning to associate certain arbitrary symbols with meanings (concepts, right?) that allowing Deaf children to do the same will give them a leg up on learning other / foreign / spoken-written / hearing languages. It will also allow them to learn other / foreign sign languages, won't it. Hearing is not better or worse than Deaf but it is different. What a joy to send this to the new list! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Ben Karlin Staff Interpreter for the Deaf St Louis Psychiatric Rehabilitation Center H007B, 5300 W Arsenal St, St Louis, MO 63139-1494 314 644-8270 V/TTY 314 644-8115 FAX | ||||||||||||||||
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