Facial Expressions - Linguistic aspect

MARIA AZZOPARDI maria.azzopardi at UM.EDU.MT
Thu Jul 31 14:13:40 UTC 2008


Thank you Charles for your feedback. Yes, I've noticed the classifiers and
will be analysing them a little more in detail soon.

Your transcriptions of DeafHistory contain a lot of phonetic detail, well
done - even someone like myself who knows no ASL can almost see the Deaf
signer sign while reading them.

Where can I find "living ASL" please?

Maria

> The DeafHistory 1-4 are from a transcription of an actual video which will
> be posted later, so as a "standard" text it, I think, is a good example of
> "living ASL".  I'm trying to include the head-nods where they appear, as,
> for the most part, they appear as markers on fingerspelled words and on
> time phrases.
>
> I'm also including, if you may have noticed, classifiers when they are
> carried down between signs.  Note "teaching Deaf children" in
> DeafHistory4, the left hand from TEACH is carried down into Deaf &
> children as a topical marker while the primary hand moves.
>
> Charles
>
> MARIA AZZOPARDI <maria.azzopardi at um.edu.mt> wrote: Thanks.
> Yes, this is helpful. It's a starting point to start analyzing and
> thinking.
>
> It's interesting to see how the head-up and then head-down marks the
> beginning an end of a fingerspelt word, this happens in LSM too. It's even
> more interesting to note that it doesn't actually mark the beginning and
> end of a fingerspelt word, because in 'Versailles France', the head comes
> down on the sign France rather than on the last 's' of Versailes.
>
> What exactly would you call this grammatical feature?
>
> Additionally, you mentioned this is a first draft. For writing standard
> ASL, would you include the head-up and then head-down at the beginning and
> end of fingerspelt words, or would the head-up and down be considered
> redundant information, and thus unneccessary for a written text.
>
> thanks,
> Maria
>
>
>
>> Simply as an example, go to the ASL Encyclopedia and see the beginnings
>> of
>> the article I have loaded on Deaf History, DeafHistory1, DeafHistory2,
>> DeafHistory3, DeafHistory4.  I transcribed this from a videotape and it
>> is
>> filled with grammatical eye gazes, eyebrows, and head nods.  It's a
>> first
>> draft, but it may help you in how I manage with it.
>>
>> Charles Butler
>>
>>
>> MARIA AZZOPARDI  wrote: Hello list,
>>
>> I have a 'big' question about the function of facial expressions (mainly
>> eye-brow and head up/down expressions) in sign languages.
>>
>> The linguistics of LSM (Maltese sign language) has still not been
>> researched thoroughly. There are of course rules in LSM governing facial
>> expressions, however since this has not been studied yet, I find myself
>> trying to do two things at the same time: translate to signwritten LSM,
>> and at the same time think about what rules may be governing these
>> facial
>> expressions. I find myself using different eye-brow expressions for
>> different questions, at the introduction of new topics, during role-play
>> in signing, at certain clauses etc.
>>
>> Could someone lead me to some more information about the grammatical
>> aspect of facial expressions, preferably with signwritten examples. Or
>> perhaps illustrate a few examples of how and when facial expressions are
>> used in your sign languages. LSM is different to ASL and other sign
>> languages, although it seems to be a little related to BSL. Besides
>> there
>> are certain sign language universals, so any information would be much
>> appreciated.
>>
>> Maria
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
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>
>
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