Discussion 1

Discuss the characteristic of Independent Sign Language (ISL). Give an example.

One characteristic of Independent Sign Language (ISL) is its morphology.

ISL also have the morphological changes like the normal spoken language. How the speakers of ASL differentiate between nouns from verbs?
They adjust the movement of a particular sign. For instance, changing the speed or tension or rate of repetition. The adjustment of hand gesture will give other speakers of ASL can derive what is the real word (whether a noun or a verb).

Furthermore, the change in movement can also provide variation in grammatical classes and meaning - pretty much like what the spoken language going through. If in the spoken language, you need to add inflectional morpheme like '-ed' to indicate a past tense verb, in sign language, you need to make a gesture of 5 hands with the palm facing backward and throw it over your shoulder to indicate the action is in the past. Or, you can simply add the word FINISH after your sentence to tell people that it happens in the past.

Interesting, isn't it?

Another characteristic is the syntax.

Just like spoken language with its SUBJECT VERB OBJECT, the syntax of sign language also has its blocks of words, namely TOPIC + COMMENT and if you want to include time, the indication of time should be put in front of the order.

e.g.:

"WEEK-PAST ME WASH CAR "

WEEK-PAST (time)
ME (Topic/Subject)
WASH CAR (Comment/predicate)

Independent Sign Language is a type of sign language that does not depend on ordinary language. Unlike Speech-based Sign Language, ISL does not represent spoken words (spelling, order of words & morphemes); instead it has developed their own words and grammatical systems.

I will be highlighting the characteristic of ISL in terms of its word structure (morphology). ISL is influenced by 3 main components that is able to change the meaning or morphological structure of words:
1. hand configuration = the shape that the hand forms
2. place of articulation = where in space the hand is formed
3. movement = how the hand moves

Therefore, the derivations of a word (from noun to adjective, from noun to verbs, present tense to past tense, etc.) can be changed by changing any of those components mentioned above.


FOR EXAMPLE:

To change the verb 'teach' to the noun 'teacher, an addition form (handshape) is added to the end of the original sign for 'teach'.

To change the verb 'teach' to 'teaching', the sign for 'teach' is repeated and so the movement happens twice.

So,
in the case of 'teacher', a handshape is added.
in the case of 'teaching', a movement is added.

It can still be quite confusing to understand how ASL function without translating each word into a sign. I found these videos on Youtube and I found them to be very entertaining and interesting. In the first video, there were some people commenting that the signing wasn't accurate and that the guy in the video was doing it too literally. Apparently ASL isn't supposed to be translated directly, it's meant to be interpreted. The second video had better comments and some said that it was truly based on ASL.

First video:



Second video:

Sign language conveys sound patterns to meaning.Simultaneously combining hand shapes,orientation and movement of the hands,arms or body and facial expressions.It utilize space for grammar in a way that spoken language do not,sign language exhibit the same linguistic properties.

There are two main branches of sign language. The American Sign language (ASL) and British Sign Language. ASL is commonly perceived as the easier one to perform as a person only have to use one hand to perform them while British sign language must be performed with two hands.

Salam Everyone,

According to my understanding towards the discussed topic, apparently there are three basic forms of ISL which are hand configuration which focuses on the shape of the hand forms, secondly place of articulation where in space the hand is formed and thirdly movement which focuses on the hand movements.

From my understanding,ISL is a language which deaf people use to deliver sound pattern by using body language to convey the meaning. Sign language combines hand shapes, orientation and movement of the hands, arms or body, and facial expressions to express the thought.
In linguistic terms, sign languages are as rich and complex as any oral language, despite the common misconception that they are not "real languages".
Although sign languages have emerged naturally in deaf communities or among spoken languages, they are unrelated to spoken languages and have different grammatical structures at their core.

ISL also can be analysed into 3 basic components : 1) hand configuration , 2) place of articulation and 3) movement.

Sign languages are natural languages that use different means of expression for communication in everyday life. More particularly, it is the only means of communication for the hearing impaired. Thus, it offers enhancement of communication capabilities among normal beings and provides replacement for speech among deaf and mute people. Sign languages are well structured languages with a phonology, morphology, syntax and grammar distinctive from spoken languages. The structure of a spoken language makes use of words linearly, i.e., one after the other, whereas a sign language makes use of several body movements parallelly in the spatial as well as in temporal space. The linguistic characteristics of a sign language are different than that of spoken languages due to the existence of several components affecting the context such as the use of facial expressions and head movements in addition to the hand movements.

Salam Everyone,

According to my understanding towards the discussed topic, apparently there are three basic forms of ISL which are hand configuration which focuses on the shape of the hand forms, secondly place of articulation where in space the hand is formed and thirdly movement which focuses on the hand movements.

here is an example of a video that teaches common sign languages,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cayMkVidpc

American Sign Language(ASL) is easier to perform than British Sign Language (BSL) because ASL can be performed using only one hand while BSL requires the use of both hands.

There are 3 characteristics of ISL. The first characteristic is hand configuration. Hand configuration involves the shape that the hand forms. Second characteristic is place of articulation. Place of articulation deals with where in space the hand formed. The last characteristic is movement. Movement means how the hand moves.

hye..sorry for the late reply

from my understanding...Sign Language is a medium for the deaf n mute to communicate with their kind or even to us. one of the characteristic in Independent Sign Language (ISL) in American Sign Language (ASL) is the morpheme structure. ISL shares the same morphological characteristics with the verbal English language. In English language, each root words has its own meaning(s)...when the root word is derived..it will carry a new meaning to the word. same goes to ISL...the movement of a sign by changing the speed or tension rate of repetition gives the ASL users the ability to derive nouns from verbs and vice versa. for example book (NP)--> booking (VP)

sorry for the late,having problem with my profile..

From my understanding,ISL is a language whereby deaf people convey meaning of something using body language~to deliver sound speech. It have three basic component which is the hand configuration that focuses on the shape of the hand/sign they make, secondly is the hand configuration, the place or space when the hand formed, and lastly the movement where they combines hand shapes, orientation and movement of the hands. It does not only includes hand but also arms or body, and facial expressions to express the thought.

watch this...an example of sign language from Glee (season 1 i guess)
heart touching.......

There are 3 basic components of ISLs namely hand configuration, place of articulation, and also movement. Hand configuration involves the shape that the hand forms. Place of articulation deals with where in space the hand formed, whereas movement means how the hand moves.