weber.ucsd.edu (Cyndi Norman) (11/26/90)
Index Number: 11966 Someone asked about worldwide signing systems so I will give an answer based on my background in linguistics (I am hearing and sign at a conversational level--though trying to learn more). ASL is a creole (mixture) of French Sign Language (FSL) and the signing system used by European colonists in what is now the U.S. FSL is also related to Dutch Sign Language, Spanish Sign Language (used in Spain, not in all Spanish-speaking countries), and many others. It is NOT related to British or Austrailian Sign Languages. ASL is used in Canada and parts of Mexico although other parts of Mexico have their own Sign Language. I spent six-months in 1986 studying Nicaraguan Sign Language (actually, only used in Managua; other parts of the country have different languages). It is first-generation (the first of the native signers should be entering grade school soon) and very different from ASL or FSL. There are enough similarities in vocabulary to make it obvious that some words were borrowed from visiting North Americans or Europeans. But the grammar is completely different. I can give more details to anyone who might be interested. I'd also love to hear about other non-ASL sign languages (as well as ASL, of course). ___________________________________________________________________________ "There's nothing wrong with me. Maybe there's Cyndi Norman something wrong with the universe." (ST:TNG) cnorman@ucsd.edu
cdvnsp@ritvax.isc.rit.edu (Larry Nehring) (11/28/90)
Index Number: 11971 In article <15875@bunker.UUCP>, cnorman@ucsd!weber.ucsd.edu (Cyndi Norman) writes... >Index Number: 11966 > >Someone asked about worldwide signing systems so I will give an answer >based on my background in linguistics (I am hearing and sign at a >conversational level--though trying to learn more). > >[Remainder of quote deleted] > >I can give more details to anyone who might be interested. I'd also love >to hear about other non-ASL sign languages (as well as ASL, of course). > I am trying to remember all of the ASL history that I have learned, but I am having some trouble. . . FSL was brought to the US by T. H. Gallaudet and/or Laurent Clerc in an attempt to standardize all of the Home-sign dialects that were forming in the US. I will try to get more specific info from my notes and teachers and post. If anyone else has more (esp. from Gallaudet, CSUN, or NTID) please post, I think that this would be a good place to share info and clear up misconceptions. Although I would prefer the newsgroup NOT be named Handicap, I think that it is not applicable to most aspects of deafness. Perhaps a newsgroup on Deaf Culture exists ? (QQ GA TO SK) LARRY NEHRING NTID @ RIT via Chris