Lesson ??? American Sign Language
American Sign Language (ASL) is distinct from English. One way to understand the unique features of ASL is to compare it to a language we already know -- English. In the examples below, the underlined English words in ASL sentences require a single sign.
Comparing the two. I can’t get a good screencap so Imma just type it out.
Topic-comment structure of sentences
I enjoy listening to country music.
Country music enjoy. ("Country music" is the topic and "enjoy" is the comment).
This (signed by 1-hand pointing down) house big
Unlike the subject-verb-object word order of English, ASL sentences typically have the topic-comment format. Specify the topic (subject or object of a sentence) and then comment on it.
Need for a verb and a noun
I am really sick ("really" is used to dispel doubt or indicate seriousness of sickness).
True sick I. (True functions like a copula to emphasize the truthfulness of the statement.)
Unlike English, ASL has no requirement that a sentence must contain a verb and a noun. ASL sentences do not use copulas (or state verbs such as are, is, and am) to fill the verb slot in a sentence as English does. Nouns and verbs are often implied.
There are no articles (a, an and the) in ASL.
Do you have any children?
ASL does not use auxiliary (helping) verbs such as do, am, are, etc.
Incorporation (also called agglutination) refers to the enhancement of the meaning either by modifying an existing sign or by adding part of another sign to a sign. In the examples below, help incorporates within itself two pronouns (I and you, she and you, etc.). Number, tense, shape, size, manner of movement, etc. can also be incorporated. Although signing is only half as fast as speaking, the amount of information transmitted per unit time is about the same for both English and ASL. This is possible, in part, because ASL "packs" more meaning into many signs through the process of incorporation.
Many verbs incorporate directionality
Help. (Sign for help moves from the "helper" towards the recipient[s] of help, taking advantage of the visual-spatial nature of the language.).
Directionality of verbs often substitutes for the subject and object of a sentence in ASL. In the first sentence, the sign for see moves from near the signer’s (subject) eyes towards the conversational partner (object). Thus the sign "see" incorporates the sign "you."
Incorporation of size and manner
He lives in a very big house.
The signs for big and plate are made "expansively." Walk is signed with rapid movements of hands to incorporate fast.
