ASL, But Not Really...

JennyB said:
Perhaps this is a bit off-topic, but I really am not able to understand people who say they sign SEE because it is easier. I never had that awkward signing in English grammar thing. I used to have an awkward fingerspelling-every-other-word-before-I-learned-classifers thing, but never a SEE thing.

SEE is impossible for me and requires so much thought it is ridiculous. English was meant for the mouth, not the hands.
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It's too late because we're already off-topic :) . SEE doesn't require a lot of thought for me because it follows English and English construct is what I know as a prior hearing person. When I sign ASL, however, first I have to think of what I want to say then I have to change the word order. I rapidly learned in my current class that I need to learn ASL in order to better and more fully communicate. In time, I'll know both.
 
JennyB said:
Perhaps this is a bit off-topic, but I really am not able to understand people who say they sign SEE because it is easier. I never had that awkward signing in English grammar thing. I used to have an awkward fingerspelling-every-other-word-before-I-learned-classifers thing, but never a SEE thing.

SEE is impossible for me and requires so much thought it is ridiculous. English was meant for the mouth, not the hands.
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My first language was English. But while the teachers were busy trying to teach me to use correct grammar my mother was busy teaching me to play with it.

My mother was able to use good grammar but was aware of its history and aware of what other languages do. Fact is English can do amazing tricks -- But most of them are forbidden by formal grammar. Formal grammar is restricting and does more to deaden creativity in its users than it does to facilitate communication.

My second language was ASL.

Yes, I have always played with it too.
 
ShariB said:
It's too late because we're already off-topic :) . SEE doesn't require a lot of thought for me because it follows English and English construct is what I know as a prior hearing person. When I sign ASL, however, first I have to think of what I want to say then I have to change the word order. I rapidly learned in my current class that I need to learn ASL in order to better and more fully communicate. In time, I'll know both.
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Okay, are we talking true SEE here? Because I am completely fluent in both ASL and in English and I can't do it. I am going to use the classic example here...if you wanted to say you were going to the store, would you sign:

1. I AM GO-ING TO THE STORE
2. I GO STORE
3. STORE ME GO
 
JennyB said:
Okay, are we talking true SEE here? Because I am completely fluent in both ASL and in English and I can't do it. I am going to use the classic example here...if you wanted to say you were going to the store, would you sign:

1. I AM GO-ING TO THE STORE
2. I GO STORE
3. STORE ME GO
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Jenny, You're literate in both SEE/ASL. What's your background? I grew up speaking (when I got my power blaster hearing aids) but now am moving into the deaf world, so am learning ASL. It makes sense for me now.

Right - true ASL is Store me go. versus SEE - I am go ing to the store vs a combination of both - I go store . Prior to my ASL class, I'd sign - I go to store or I go store. In the early days when I was just learning sign at IBM, I would've signed I am going to the store. (ugh... that phase of signing everything didn't last long.)

We're in agreement here. You say that SEE is way too convoluted to be able to sign every single word and sound (like the ing). I also agree with that and don't.
 
1) Nope, I wasn't in any way, shape, or form offended by anything that you said. Your points are all valid.
2) Yes, I know:
-- It's obvious that I was hearing. It's more obvious that I continue to live
in a hearing world.
-- ASL was probably created by a deaf community as were other languages in other countries created by deaf.

I'm not knocking ASL. Remember, I said when I started taking my current ASL class that I chose to learn the ASL structure rather than continue on my merry non-ASL way. I made a tougher choice that I feel is right for me now. I feel this will give me greater flexibility in reaching out to the local deaf community. I hope I'll learn it well enough to be able to be certified in ASL. I just also see a major purpose to SEE being alive and well.
 
Shari, its good that SEE works well for you; however, technically, SEE is not a language; it is merely a teaching tool.
 
ShariB said:
Jenny, You're literate in both SEE/ASL. What's your background? I grew up speaking (when I got my power blaster hearing aids) but now am moving into the deaf world, so am learning ASL. It makes sense for me now.
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I grew up bilingual.

I am not literate in either SEE or ASL. One can't be literate in SEE because SEE is not a language, it is a visual representation of English. I am fluent and literate in English though.

I am also fluent in ASL, but not literate since ASL would have to be an orthographic language for that to be a valid statement.
 
I am having a problem really grasping the ASL grammar concept and have been learning a bunch of signs. I am now beginning to sign as I speak since I have a hearing family. (kids didn't want to learn ASL even though they are hoh)
 
JennyB said:
I grew up bilingual.

I am not literate in either SEE or ASL. One can't be literate in SEE because SEE is not a language, it is a visual representation of English. I am fluent and literate in English though.

I am also fluent in ASL, but not literate since ASL would have to be an orthographic language for that to be a valid statement.
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I love linguistic majors!!! :applause:
 
Bottesini said:
I love linguistic majors!!! :applause:
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:giggle: I actually dropped out of my program a few months ago. Switching to Child and Youth Care in the fall. However, I did learn a thing or two about linguistics back in the day!
 
JennyB said:
Perhaps this is a bit off-topic, but I really am not able to understand people who say they sign SEE because it is easier. I never had that awkward signing in English grammar thing. I used to have an awkward fingerspelling-every-other-word-before-I-learned-classifers thing, but never a SEE thing.

SEE is impossible for me and requires so much thought it is ridiculous. English was meant for the mouth, not the hands.
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I have to agree with you, JennyB. I find SEE to be far too cumbersome and awkward. It has been my experience, though, that most people who claim to sign SEE are actually signing PSE.
 
JennyB said:
:giggle: I actually dropped out of my program a few months ago. Switching to Child and Youth Care in the fall. However, I did learn a thing or two about linguistics back in the day!
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It really is a fascinating discipline, isn't it?
 
jillio said:
It really is a fascinating discipline, isn't it?
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Yeah. I am a total word nerd. Oddly enough my favorite areas were phonetics and phonology. I think I threw myself into that because everyone was telling me I couldn't. I am stubborn like that:giggle::wave:
 
JennyB said:
Yeah. I am a total word nerd. Oddly enough my favorite areas were phonetics and phonology. I think I threw myself into that because everyone was telling me I couldn't. I am stubborn like that:giggle::wave:
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Yeah..the best way to get me to do anything is to tell me I can't.:giggle:
 
QUOTE=Bottesini;1601507]I love linguistic majors!!! :applause:[/QUOTE]

shouldn't this be Linguist majors ;) (I'm thinking of another thread) :giggle:
 
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