SignWriting List Forum | |||
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From:
Ronald H Dettloff Date: Thu May 20, 1999 3:58 am Subject: Re: Answers for Valarie and Wayne | |
Thanks for the information. I will check out Rochester for the technical signs, but I have noticed that Deaf people have no problems talking about the parts of an automobile without any formal instruction in vocabulary of ASL. I still believe ASL is a way of using sign language that makes it possible to communicate anything you want and I am not talking about mime. On Wed, 19 May 1999 01:48:05 -0700 Joe Martin writes: >On Mon, 17 May 1999, Ronald H Dettloff wrote: > >> Please understand that ASL can be adapted to fit any situation. I >have >> been an an interpreter for automotive studies and have found that >the >> most important factor other than knowing ASL is knowing the >automobile >> yourself. With these two skills you can interpret anything about >any >> automobile and there is no need to study special automobile signs. >..................> >I disagree, strongly. > > If you do this you are doing one of two things; >1) using mime (which is not language at all. (altho a mime-action can > become a > word if it is used linguistically, as a symbol for > something.)) >2) making up your own words, and thus creating a duolect; a language > variety used by only two people. > >I've used interpreters in my classes. They were constantly >faced with technical terminology that they didn't know (terps in >physics >class needn't be physicists!!) Since fingerspelling the words is both >HARD >and slow, we did what you mentioned above, but only as a temporary >solution. We asked our friends, none of whom knew signs for this >stuff >either. then we reached out to the larger community by looking for >books >and dictionaries. (for which a decent writing system is essential.!!) > >This is how languages grow. Part of the definition of a natural >language >is that it is the product of a community of users. We had >created "Joe Martin Sign Language" distinct from ASL, a whole >slew of dialects, different for each terp. Very unsatisfactory. > The same process works >with all languages; in talking with my japanese friends I can >"mime" too, by saying "the thing with three coils that adjusts how >much >current goes from the alternator and how much to the battery and cuts >off >the circuit when the battery is overcharged," or I can make up the >name >bloofp for it. >It is much better to learn that the Japanese community >calls it "seigyoku," and join them. The point of learning a language >is >to join that community. Learning their vocabulary is at least half >the >battle. > Pastor Ronald H. Dettloff The Deaf Church 20880 Ten Mile Road St. Clair Shores, MI. 48080 |
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