Introduction to BSL Linguistics Gary L Taylor. What is BSL Linguistics? What is & What is not BSL? IconicityCompoundsVerbs Classifiers – SASS Fingerspelling.

Introduction to BSL Introduction to BSL LinguisticsLinguistics

Gary L TaylorGary L Taylor

What is BSL Linguistics?What is BSL Linguistics?

What is & What is not BSL?What is & What is not BSL?Iconicity Iconicity CompoundsCompoundsVerbsVerbsClassifiers – SASSClassifiers – SASSFingerspellingFingerspellingRegional Sign VariationsRegional Sign VariationsBorrowing & Name SignsBorrowing & Name Signs

What is BSL?What is BSL?BSL is not a word for word translation in BSL is not a word for word translation in EnglishEnglish

BSL is a visual language which uses BSL is a visual language which uses handshapes, facial expression to express handshapes, facial expression to express meaningmeaning

It has its own Rules & GrammarIt has its own Rules & Grammar

BSL has regional variations, just as spoken BSL has regional variations, just as spoken English has accents and local dialectsEnglish has accents and local dialects

Fingerspelling is part of BSLFingerspelling is part of BSL

What is NOT BSL?What is NOT BSL?

Cued SpeechCued Speech

Paget Gorman SignsPaget Gorman Signs

MakatonMakaton

Signed English (SE)Signed English (SE)

Signed Support English (SSE)Signed Support English (SSE)

LanguageLanguage

English

Spoken Listening

ReadingWriting

One form Primary

One Form Secondary

One Language

LanguageLanguage

BSL

Production Receptive

One form Primary

One Language

Borrow English

Reading Writing (English)

One form Secondary

One Language

Two Language

ICONICITY (VISUAL ICONICITY (VISUAL MOTIVATIONMOTIVATION

HIGH - transparent, show full picture that reduced in HIGH - transparent, show full picture that reduced in scale of actual object or thing that is being copied in scale of actual object or thing that is being copied in shape e.g. TREE, DRINKshape e.g. TREE, DRINK

LESS - have explanation for signs but not very obvious LESS - have explanation for signs but not very obvious e.g. HOUSE, TENNISe.g. HOUSE, TENNIS

ARBITRARY (OR ABSTRACT) - no explanation for signs ARBITRARY (OR ABSTRACT) - no explanation for signs and not very obvious i.e. no reason and unknown for and not very obvious i.e. no reason and unknown for signs with no picture or link e.g. WHY, SISTERsigns with no picture or link e.g. WHY, SISTER

Group work – find 5 examples each?Group work – find 5 examples each?

COMPOUNDSCOMPOUNDS

2 different signs have their own meaning 2 different signs have their own meaning that form a new sign with different that form a new sign with different meaningmeaningSEQUENCE - 2 signs are used one after SEQUENCE - 2 signs are used one after the other in order e.g. TENNIS, BLOOD, the other in order e.g. TENNIS, BLOOD, PEOPLE.PEOPLE.SIMULTANEOUS - 2 signs are used at the SIMULTANEOUS - 2 signs are used at the same time e.g. FAX, PARACHUTE, same time e.g. FAX, PARACHUTE, PRISON.PRISON.

COMPOUNDSCOMPOUNDS

MINICOMMINICOM

BELIEVEBELIEVE

PARENTSPARENTS

MAINSTREAMMAINSTREAM

INTERVIEWINTERVIEW

REMEMBERREMEMBER

EXPERIENCEEXPERIENCE

Group work - pick which the above are sequence or Group work - pick which the above are sequence or simultaneous? simultaneous?

VERBSVERBS

NOUN - name of a thing or objectNOUN - name of a thing or object

VERB - actionVERB - action

NOUN - CAR, BOOK, FOOD, BROOMNOUN - CAR, BOOK, FOOD, BROOM

VERB – DRIVE, READ, EAT, SWEEPVERB – DRIVE, READ, EAT, SWEEP

CLASSIFIERSCLASSIFIERS

Copy exact sign and reduce in size in Copy exact sign and reduce in size in

location space. Signs represent things location space. Signs represent things

and objects.and objects.

Handshapes: PERSON, PEOPLE, BALLHandshapes: PERSON, PEOPLE, BALL

Handling / Grasping: PRAM, WRITE, BRUSHHandling / Grasping: PRAM, WRITE, BRUSH

Group work – find 5 more examples?Group work – find 5 more examples?

FINGERSPELLING (3 GROUPS)FINGERSPELLING (3 GROUPS)

Fingerspelling Signs: APRIL, BRAZIL, Fingerspelling Signs: APRIL, BRAZIL, EDINBURGHEDINBURGH

Fingerspelling pattern: JOB, CLUB, BUS, NEWSFingerspelling pattern: JOB, CLUB, BUS, NEWS

Fingerspelling Initialised (first letter):Fingerspelling Initialised (first letter): Tapped Twice (same letter) - KITCHEN Tapped Twice (same letter) - KITCHEN MOTHER, YELLOWMOTHER, YELLOW

FINGERSPELLING (3 GROUPS)FINGERSPELLING (3 GROUPS)

Circular - CLASS, VIDEO, GREY Circular - CLASS, VIDEO, GREY

Movement to or from Body COMMUNICATION, Movement to or from Body COMMUNICATION,

CONVERSATIONCONVERSATION

On the BodyOn the Body - - CONFIDENT, COMFORTABLECONFIDENT, COMFORTABLE

Group work - find 5 examples each?Group work - find 5 examples each?

REGIONAL SIGN VARIATIONSREGIONAL SIGN VARIATIONS(RSV)(RSV)

Social ClassSocial Class

AgeAge

Men & WomanMen & Woman

Ethnic groupEthnic group

Religion groupsReligion groups

Group work – Is there are Regional Sign Variation?Group work – Is there are Regional Sign Variation?

REGIONAL SIGN VARIATIONSREGIONAL SIGN VARIATIONS(RSV)(RSV)

Numbers & MoneyNumbers & MoneyColoursColoursClothesClothesDay of the weekDay of the weekFamilyFamilyPeople, Man, Woman, News, BirthdayPeople, Man, Woman, News, Birthday

Group work – Why there are Regional Sign Variations? Group work – Why there are Regional Sign Variations? Deaf School (& residential), Deaf Clubs and Deaf Deaf School (& residential), Deaf Clubs and Deaf

Families (Generation) Families (Generation)

Borrowing SignsBorrowing Signs

Loans into BSL from other language:Loans into BSL from other language:

I LOVE YOU, WOW, OK, ATTITUDEI LOVE YOU, WOW, OK, ATTITUDE

Loans Translations: ICELAND, GREENLANDLoans Translations: ICELAND, GREENLAND

Fingerspelling Loans: CONFIDENCE, Fingerspelling Loans: CONFIDENCE, DAUGHTERDAUGHTER

11stst letter Fingerspelling: Recommend, Proposal letter Fingerspelling: Recommend, Proposal

Find – 5 examples of borrowing signs & fingerspelling?Find – 5 examples of borrowing signs & fingerspelling?

Name SignsName Signs

Brand Names: Audi, Renault, ArsenalBrand Names: Audi, Renault, Arsenal

Places: Blackpool, Paris, SydneyPlaces: Blackpool, Paris, Sydney

Personal Names Signs: Nos.., Deaf Personal Names Signs: Nos.., Deaf School, Physical Character.School, Physical Character.

Name Signs (Personal Names)Name Signs (Personal Names)

School NumbersSchool Numbers

Physical Character - distinguishing featuresPhysical Character - distinguishing features

Character trait - temper, obsessionCharacter trait - temper, obsession

Personal Information - person from other country Personal Information - person from other country or specific job, hobbyor specific job, hobby

Loan Translation - Kay, Mr Rice, FloraLoan Translation - Kay, Mr Rice, Flora

First / Second name - Alex, Margaret, YoungFirst / Second name - Alex, Margaret, Young

Fixed names - Carpenter, Wood, Brown, Green Fixed names - Carpenter, Wood, Brown, Green

Group work – find 3 examples each?Group work – find 3 examples each?

Glossary of TermsGlossary of Terms

AccentAccent

AccuracyAccuracy

AdverbsAdverbs

AffirmationAffirmation

AmbiguitiesAmbiguities

AspectAspect

AuxiliariesAuxiliaries

Aspectual ModelAspectual Model

BasicBasic

BuoysBuoys

ClassifierClassifier

CohesionCohesion

Colloquial(-ism)Colloquial(-ism)

ComplexComplex

CompoundCompound

ConditionalConditional

Glossary of TermsGlossary of Terms

ConventionConvention

ContextContext

DialectDialect

Discourse CohesionDiscourse Cohesion

MarkersMarkers

EnumeratingEnumerating

EvaluateEvaluate

EverydayEveryday

ExpressionsExpressions

ExtractExtract

FamiliarFamiliar

FluencyFluency

FormatFormat

GistGist

GrammarGrammar

IdiomIdiom

Glossary of TermsGlossary of Terms

ImperativeImperative

InfinitiveInfinitive

Intonation or prosodyIntonation or prosody

InterrogativeInterrogative

LexiconLexicon

FrozenFrozen

ProductiveProductive

ManipulateManipulate

ModificationModification

ModulationModulation

NegativeNegative

NuanceNuance

PhaticPhatic

PhrasePhrase

PositivePositive

PresentationPresentation

Glossary of TermsGlossary of Terms

ProformProform

PronounPronoun

PronunciationPronunciation

RegisterRegister

Role shiftRole shift

RoutineRoutine

ScanScan

SentenceSentence

SettingSetting

SimpleSimple

SimultaneitySimultaneity

SituationSituation

SpeedSpeed

SpecifierSpecifier

StructuresStructures

StyleStyle

Why is BSL Linguistics important to Why is BSL Linguistics important to teaching BSL?teaching BSL?

2 aims:2 aims:To describe language as fully as possibleTo describe language as fully as possibleTo ask why language are the way they areTo ask why language are the way they are

Who needs to know the Linguistics of BSL?Who needs to know the Linguistics of BSL?Learners: they can learn it better and can Learners: they can learn it better and can compare the language they know the language compare the language they know the language they are learningthey are learningTeacher: Teacher: they can explain when and why they can explain when and why something a learner signs is wrong and how to something a learner signs is wrong and how to sign it right sign it right