Summary: ASL -TEENs rubbing variant

[Christopher Miller]

A couple of weeks ago I sent a query to the list about a variant form of 
the ASL signs for 16 to 19 involving the thumb and the selected finger of 
the handshape for 6 to 9 rubbing together.
To help readers keep track, I talked about three variants:

a)      The standard ASL variant:
An /A/ handshape, thumb upward (palm contralateral), changing quickly to 
the handshape for SIX, SEVEN, EIGHT and NINE, respectively, palm forward.

b)       The standard LSQ form:
This is made with a repeated outward twisting movement of the handshapes 
for SIX, SEVEN, EIGHT and NINE.

c)      The "rubbing" variant:
This is made with a rubbing motion involving the thumb and the whichever 
finger is bent in the SIX, SEVEN, EIGHT and NINE handshapes (that is, the 
pinky, ring, middle and index, respectively).

I had two main questions, one asking where the rubbing variant is used, 
the other asking exactly how the variant is produced.
Over the following two weeks I received replies from six people, who I 
would like to thank for their help:

Marisa Bennett (e-mail withheld by request)
Petra Nichole Eccarius <eccarius at purdue.edu>
Mike Morgan <Mike.Morgan at MB3.SEIKYOU.NE.JP
Alison Nachman <alinachman at yahoo.com>
Dan Parvaz <dparvaz at unm.edu>
Doug Stringham <stringdr at dhlcc.org>

(All respondents are, as far as I know, hearing second language ASL 
signers — several are sign language instructors or interpreters.)

First (and turning around the order of the questions above), concerning 
the way the rubbing variant is made, the five people who answered this 
question were unanimous in confirming my suspicion that a) the relevant 
selected finger rubs repeatedly against the thumb, which acts as base, and 
not the other way round and b) the rubbing is unidirectional, toward the 
base of the thumb (though one respondent stated that an *emphatic* version 
of the -TEEN signs can be made with a bidirectional, back and forth 
rubbing movement).

Meanwhile, however, I came across this description: the first part refers 
to the form that is standard in LSQ, and the second is a take on the 
rubbing variant that is rather different from what my respondents have 
told me.

"The numbers 16 through 19 may be made by forming the appropriate single 
digit, palm out, and twisting it, similar to the way the number 10 is 
shook. A third possible formation for the numbers 16 to 19 is to form the 
appropriate digit, palm facing out, and to rub the thumb against the 
finger that it contacts (i.e., thumb rubs against pinkie for 16, against 
ring finger for 1, against middle finger for 18, and against index finger 
for 19)."

(Ronnie B. Wilbur (1987), American Sign Language. Linguistic and applied 
dimensions. Second edition. Boston/Toronto/San Diego: Little, Brown and 
Company, p. 108.)

So, what looked like unanimity about the way the rubbing variant is formed 
seems less clear now. Bother. I guess we need someone to actually publish 
an analysis of videotaped data.

Responses to my question about the distribution of the rubbing variant vs 
the standard ASL form were more varied and complicated. They divided into 
responses about geographical distribution in the US (GEO) and social or 
stylistic distribution (SOCIO).

==============================================================
GEO:

The rubbing (and twisting) variants are "used in much of the US, depending 
on region" (Dan Parvaz)

"(...) as a beginning ASL student in Lincoln, NE [Nebraska — CM] I was 
taught both a form that could be what you understand to be the "standard" 
ASL form (...) and the rubbing variant." (Petra Eccarius)

"For ASL I have seen both the compound (TEN^SIX, etc) and the "rubbing"
variants in Austin, Texas, and I believe I first encountered the "shaking"
variants in Northfield, Minnesota, although that was not the only variant
used there.  However, I have seen all three variants used interchangeably 
in
Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota." (Marisa Bennett)

"I have seen these forms used by a CODA whose parents were educated in the 
Philadelphia area." (Mike Morgan)

"My experience has been that these variants *are* regional and not 
necessarily alternate in nature. About 10 years ago, I had some work 
experience that moved me around quite a bit--the Northwest, Pacific, South,
  and Midwest all within about 22-24 months--and I observed (even briefly 
adapted to!) the rubbing variants in the Midwest (IL, IN, WI) [Illinois, 
Indiana and Wisconsin — CM] but not in the other locales. (Some Deaf used 
the oscillating form in the South.)" (Doug Stringham)

"I (...) was taught to by a deaf teacher at St. Paul Technical College [in 
the twin cities of Minneapolis, Minnesota and St. Paul which I *believe* 
is across the river in Wisconsin — CM] (...) I then moved to California 
and was interpreting at CSUN [California State University, Northridge — CM]
  and I do not recall using the variant." (Alison Nachman)
[I assume that not using the rubbing variant in California reflects a 
reaction to local usage. — CM]

Although there seems to be some disagreement, the replies seem to situate 
the rubbing variants mainly in the Midwest states, in particular Indiana, 
Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Nebraska. For the benefit of non-USA 
list subscribers, these are all clustered around the southwest end of the 
Great Lakes (except for Nebraska, which is further southwest, just east of 
the mountains). In addition there is an attestation for Texas but 
interestingly nothing for anywhere else in the southern states, nor (apart 
from the mention of the Philadelphia area in Pennsylvania) anything for 
the east-coast states or the mountain and Pacific coast states (in fact, 
there is some circumstantial *negative* evidence for rubbing variants 
being used in California). Of course this is not a scientific survey, and 
the results may be due to the lack of respondents from other regions...

There were fewer responses for the twisting variants, but they seem to be 
attested for the South and at least the Minnesota area. (Since these 
variants are the normal form in LSQ, I wouldn't be surprised to find out 
that they are used in areas of the US and Canada close to Quebec.)


==============================================================
SOCIO:

Somewhat less informatin here, but pointing toward a register or stylistic 
difference:

"My instructor was Deaf and from California.  She offered both 
alternatives, but told us that the rubbing varient was often seen as "lazy"
  and that the other ("standard") form was more socially acceptable." 
(Petra Eccarius)

"I have observed Deaf signers who typically use the traditional form in 
conversation automatically and comfortably switch to the oscillated form 
when register drops and familiarity with conversant(s) increase(s). Case 
in point, locally, teen numbers are produced TEN+(NUMBER); I currently 
play on an all-Deaf softball team (except me, of course) and distance 
often  plays a part in effective communication. In some cases, oscillated 
SIXTEEN or SEVENTEEN is more visible than TEN+SIX or TEN+SEVEN. Go figure.
" ( Doug Stringham)

"I felt that the variant was more of a casual way to sign the numbers, or 
sometimes a faster way.  It often depended upon the context or where I was 
interpreting." (Alison Nachman)

==============================================================
Doug Stringham offered another observation, not directly related to my 
question but interesting nonetheless, about a form for "approximate" 
quantities, which I don't recall having seen described elsewhere. (He 
confirms that the movement he describes is a slight up-down or in-out 
movement of the whole forearm similar to but different from the twisting 
or "oscillating" movement in the LSQ-type TEENs.) Doug's description:

"Other alternative forms for other numbers include THIRTY, FOURTY, and 
FIFTY (sometimes SIXTY) signed with a motion very similar to the 
oscillated movement, only slightly rocked up and down, rather than 
circular, using a THREE, FOUR, FIVE (and SIX) handshape, respectively. 
This tended to describe an *approximate* group size (PEOPLE THERE? SEEM 
THEREABOUT THIRTY, FOURTY) or, more rarely, *approximate* age (J-E-A-N  
RECENT DIE, SHE SEEM  AGE [with index finger on chin, not fully formed AGE 
sign] SIXTY)."

==============================================================
Although I thought I had the answer to the question of *how* the rubbing 
variant is made since everyone's answer corresponded to what I myself felt 
to be the most likely way, I am again uncertain after having read Ronnie 
Wilbur's description... Is there someone aut there working on ASL who 
would like to use video data to resolve the question?

I also found the answers about geographic distribution of the rubbing 
variant interesting as I think this is the first time I have actually seen 
this question addressed anywhere. Furthermore, I was quite surprised to 
find out that the (non-standard) twisting version is actually attested in 
ASL; I had thought it was restricted to LSQ. The social/stylistic 
distribution does not surprise me enormously since the rubbing and 
twisting variants are pretty obviously (to me) derived from the original 
compound variants by two different types of phonological change: I would 
expect that these variants might be more restricted in use than the older 
standard variants.

It seems to me that geographic and social variation in these particular 
number forms would make for a very interesting study. Unfortunately, this 
is beyond my capabilities, so I hope that somebody doing ASL 
sociolinguistics might be inspired by this summary to pick up where I have 
left off and try doing just such a study.

Before I go, one of the reasons I asked the question about these forms is 
that i am intrigued by the similarities between the ASL rubbing variants 
and several unusual signs in the northern (Groningen) dialect of NGT (the 
sign language of the Netherlands) which have a similar rubbing movement in 
an otherwise unusual handshape. Like the ASL -TEENs, these seem to be 
derived, but from fingerspelling rather than from compound numerals. More 
in a paper I am (slowly) working on...

Chris Miller

¶ Christopher Miller
¶ Adjunct professor
¶ Department of linguistics and language teaching
¶ Université du Québec à Montréal
¶ Box 8888, “Centre-Ville” Postal Station
¶ Montreal QC H3C 3P8
¶ Canada
¶
¶ +1 514 987-3000 x 2361 (voice)
¶ miller.christopher at uqam.ca
¶ christophermiller at mac.com