ASL 203 - Comparative Analysis of ASL and English

3 Credits, 3 Contact Hours
3 lecture periods 0 lab periods

Enhanced study of the fundamental principles and cognitive processing of American Sign Language. Includes a further study of the Deaf community and Deaf culture.

Prerequisite(s): ASL 201 with a grade of B or better, and WRT 102.
Information: This course is recommended for students who have finished ASL 202 or ASL departmental approval and desire further study and review. Students may be expected to attend outside events at their own expense.

Course Learning Outcomes

Discuss the role of classifiers in American Sign Language (ASL).
Discuss the linguistic aspects of verb modulation/inflection.
Explain the functions of eye-indexing, pronominalization, compounding, contracting, sign space referents, facial grammar, relative clauses and conjunctions.
List three critical components of language.
Diagram and describe the sign language continuum of manually coded English, Rochester Method, American Sign Language, Pidgin Sign Language, and oral.
Discuss basic comparisons between ASL and English semantics, morphology, phonology, and syntax.
Discuss ASL as a living language including historical changes of ASL, current trends, and future predictions.
Read, write, and explain the role of basic gloss transcription.
Produce an ASL research paper demonstrating necessary research writing skills using an approved discipline related style format.

Outline:

History of American Sign Language (ASL)
Language Requirements
Linguistic Fields
Communication Systems
Animal Communication
Assimilation/Symmetry Principles
American Sign Language/English Comparisons
Time/Tense Indicators
Semantics
Morphology
Syntax
Phonology
Facial Grammar
Sign Space
Modulation/Inflection
Classifiers/ SASSes
Conjunctions
Relative Clauses
Reality Principle
Conversational Regulators
ASL Research Topics
Gloss/Transcription
Current Issues
Linguistic Research Paper