ASL Pre Quiz

What is ASL?

• A visual form of English.

• A language that relies on mime.

• A language capable of expressing abstract ideas.

• A language using picture-like gestures to express
  ideas and concepts.

• A language utilizing space and movement to convey meaning.

Answer explanation

ASL, like any other language, is fully capable or expressing any ideas, abstract or concrete. ASL couldn’t flourish if it were not capable of meeting all the needs of Deaf people to communicate their ideas, needs, and thoughts
(remember our definition of Language).

As a “Physical Language” utilizing the
hands and body, ASL also uses physical space meaningfully and grammatically.

Historically, American Sign Language is related to:

• British Sign Language

• Swedish Sign Language

• French Sign Language

• German Sign Language

• None, its historically unique

Answer explanation

Frenchman Laurent Clerc, who was Deaf himself, came from France with American Thomas H. Gallaudet in the early 1800’s to help establish the first school for deaf children in America in Hartford, Connecticut.

The school was instrumental in standardizing ASL with many signs borrowed from French Sign Language or “Langue des Signes Francais” (LSF) (quite different than our “English” heritage).

Time has obscured much of the similarities, but many still exist, e.g.:

FRENCH: “Chercher” “Bon"

What is meant when “Deaf” is spelled with a capital “D”
(vs. “deaf”)?

• Both terms can be used interchangeably.

• The term “Deaf” is used to denote the cultural, linguistic
  minority of people with deafness who use sign
  language as their primary means of communication

• "Deaf” is used to refer to American deaf people

• “Deaf” is used to refer to the minority of people with a
  severe to profound hearing loss.

Answer explanation

deaf:
-“hearing loss”

-Rely on residual hearing, lipreading,

• -captioning/CART,

-Identify with hearing culture; “Oralist”

Deaf:

-Rely on ASL
-Identify with“Deaf culture”

American Sign Language is used by most Deaf people in
which of the following countries?

• Canada

• United States

• Brazil

• Mexico

• England

Answer explanation

The other countries have their own distinct sign languages or even multiple sign languages,
e.g., Canada (ASL & LSQ)

– Guatemala has at least three distinct sign languages!

Approximately what percent of Deaf people who marry are
married to other Deaf people?

• 10%

• 25%

• 50%

• 75%

• 90%

Answer explanation

● The highest rate of intermarriages of any ethnic/minority group.
(this could be changing, in part because so many
hearing students - like you - are now learning ASL)

● Deaf people marry other Deaf people for love and the comfort factor where Deaf people share a common language (ASL), share friends and networking and have common identity and life goals within the community.

American Sign Language traditionally was handed down from
generation to generation through:

• a. Deaf family members

• b. Deaf adults in the community

• c. Residential schools for the Deaf
  

• d. Sign language teachers

• e. Classroom teachers

Answer explanation

• -Only 10-13% of Deaf children are born to families with other Deaf members, permitting the usual parent-to-child transmission of language and culture. This means ASL is primarily transmitted
  peer-to-peer.

-A very unique cultural trait.

-Historically and traditionally, residential schools for the Deaf were the primary venues where this transmission of language and culture occurred. But, since the 1980’s, the number of Deaf children attending these schools has declined and more and more are mainstreamed.

The role of facial expressions, head movements, and eye
gaze in ASL is primarily:

• Grammatical

• Stylistic

• Emotive

Answer explanation

Statements vs questions

While watching another person sign, it is appropriate to
focus on the signer’s:

• Face

• Hands

• Chest area

Answer explanation

It’s important to see everything, but the focus is generally on the
face.

Think of the contrast between this aspect of a
signed language and Deaf culture vs. spoken
language and hearing culture, and the implications
this has for the closeness of the communities.

Among ASL signers, fingerspelling is mainly used in what
ways?

• Interchangeably with any sign

• To specify brand names

• As an artistic form of signing

• To give names to people and places

What best describes the fingerspelled letter “X”?

• It’s formed with a bent index finger

• It’s formed with bent index and middle fingers

• It’s formed by crossing your left and right index fingers

• Your palm(s) should face away from you

• Your palm(s) should face towards you