Linguistics of American Sign Language: An Introduction


Clayton Valli - 1995
    The newly revised section offers new units on verbs in ASL, simple sentences in ASL, classifier predicates, syntax, and basic sentence types. The fourth edition also features groundbreaking research on iconic signs in ASL and the relationship between metaphor and iconicity in signed languages; variation in ASL; the different functions of space in ASL; and the artistic forms of ASL, including storytelling, percussion signing, drama, comedy, and poetry.Updated references and expanded readings delineate all of the linguistic basics, including phonology, semantics, and language use. The fourth edition also provides new homework assignments that correspond to the ASL stories signed on the special DVD enclosed with this new volume.

So You Want to Be an Interpreter?: An Introduction to Sign Language Interpreting


Janice H. Humphrey - 1995
    Enhance your knowledge of American Sign Language and interpreting with this reader-friendly resource. Explains the interpreting process, ethics, the job market, and much more. For beginners to seasoned interpreters, for in-class use or independent study. Includes thought questions and practice activities.

Reading Between the Signs: Intercultural Communication for Sign Language Interpreters


Anna Mindess - 2006
    With collaboration of three distinguished Deaf consultants, Mindess explores the implications of cultural differences at the intersection of the Deaf and hearing worlds. Used in interpreter training programs worldwide.

Signing Naturally: Student Videotext & Workbook - Level 1


Cheri Smith - 1988
    Instructional video/workbook for learning American Sign Language.

Mother Father Deaf: Living Between Sound and Silence


Paul Preston - 1994
    These children grow up between two cultures, the Hearing and the Deaf, forever balancing the worlds of sound and silence. Paul Preston, one of these children, takes us to the place where Deaf and Hearing cultures meet, where families like his own embody the conflicts and resolutions of two often opposing world views. Based on 150 interviews with adult hearing children of deaf parents throughout the United States, Mother Father Deaf examines the process of assimilation and cultural affiliation among a population whose lives incorporate the paradox of being culturally "Deaf" yet functionally hearing. It is rich in anecdote and analysis, remarkable for its insights into a family life normally closed to outsiders.

Religious Signing: A Comprehensive Guide for All Faiths


Elaine Costello - 1997
    Present-day American Sign Language (ASL) carries on that tradition. Like any living language, it continues to grow and change to meet the communication needs of an ever more diverse religious population. This comprehensive guide, newly revised, updated, and expanded, gives you all the vocabulary you need to communicate effectively in any religious setting. From Alleluia to Zizith, more than 750 signs and their specific meanings Large, clear, upper-torso illustrations that show the corresponding movements of hands, body, and face Easy-to-follow instructions to help you master the art of expressing signs A complete index for quick access to any sign With an essential section of religious "name signs," the addition of signs for the Muslim faith, and an expanded selection of favorite verses, prayers, and blessings, this book is an indispensable resource for signers of all denominations. Written with expertise by an educator and author associated with the field of deafness for more than thirty years, it makes communicating by ASL in a religious setting simple and easy, no matter your level of experience.

The American Sign Language Phrase Book


Lou Fant - 1983
    Useful for those interested in understanding and utilizing American Sign Language (ASL), this phrase book serves as a reference tool and a study guide.

American Sign Language Dictionary


Martin L.A. Sternberg - 1987
    Indispensable for professionals and others who must communicate with the deaf. More than 6,600 line drawings.

Learning American Sign Language: Levels I & II--Beginning & Intermediate


Tom Humphries - 1992
    Written by two leading authorities in the field, the 24 lessons in this book cover Beginning and Intermediate or Level I and II courses of study. Lessons are structured around language needed for common life situations, and examples are presented in the form of dialogues coupled with grammar and vocabulary instruction. Information is also included about the culture of Deaf people in the United States. The book is supported by a videotape and an instructor's manual.Learners will discover that the text: Contains lessons designed around the conversational language needed for common life situations. Illustrates hundreds of sentences and vocabulary with over 2,000 high quality colorized drawings that aid in study and memory. Contains over 100 grammar and cultural notes, 72 exercises, and charts of the American Manual Alphabet (Finger spelling) and ASL number system. Teaches the rules of ASL in a natural order that is predictable and compatible with everyday language of native users of American Sign Language. Incorporates information about the cultural lives of Deaf people in the United States. Is supported by a video demonstrating all the conversations and important structures in the text. Order the NEW Video!Video to Accompany American Sign Language, 2/eOrder No. 0-205-27554-0American Sign Language students will find themselves captivated and entertained by this state-of-the-art Video that presents all 72 dialogues and each key structure from the text in a clear and natural way. Four internationally known Deaf actors animate the dialogues bringing life to the illustrations in the text allowing students to preview and review instructional materials at home to enhance their classroom learning. About the authors: Tom Humphries is Associate Director of the Teacher Education Program and also teaches in the Department of Communication at the University of California, San Diego. He is currently coordinating a program to train teachers of deaf children using a bilingual approach. Prior to this he taught at Gallaudet University in the Department of English for several years and later served as an Associate Dean for the San Diego Community College District where he coordinated the development of an ASL program and an interpreter-training program. He holds a Ph.D. in Cross Cultural Communication and Language Learning. Dr. Humphries is co-author with Carol Padden of Deaf in America: Voices from a Culture and several other books and articles related to ASL and the culture of Deaf people.Carol Padden is a Professor in the Department of Communication at the University of California, San Diego where she teachers courses on language, culture and media. She is a graduate of Georgetown University and received a Ph.D. in Linguistics from the University of California, San Diego. Her recent research includes studies of reading development in young deaf children and she has written extensively about the cultural lives of Deaf people in the United States. She received a John Simon Guggenheim Fellowship, in addition to numerous other awards and grants for her work. In addition to the books she has co-authored with Tom Humphries, she has published several other books and articles on American Sign Language structure. Humphries & Padden (Learning American Sign Language, 2e). SMP 2004 Page 1 of 1

A Journey Into the Deaf-World


Harlan Lane - 1996
    Bringing the latest social and cultural findings and theories into sharp focus, the authors take us on a fascinating journey to discover what deaf culture is; the benefits of signed language and deaf culture for deaf children and hearing people; how deaf children are now educated and how they could be; how deaf people integrate into the larger society; the nature of American Sign Language; how technology helps (and hurts) deaf people; what can be learned from deaf societies in other lands; the future of the deaf world. Combining thought-provoking intellectual perspectives with enlightening first-hand accounts of life in the deaf world, this landmark volume is vital for professionals working in fields involving deaf people and for those with an interest in deaf studies.

Deaf in America: Voices from a Culture


Carol Padden - 1988
    A long, painful experience of hearing intolerance has generally kept Deaf culture fairly closed to outsiders, even sympathetic ones. But now Padden & Humphries...have written a charming small book that invites the rest of us at least part way in...A most welcome addition to that very small shelf of books that truly illuminate the experience of being deaf.--Beryl Lieff Benderly, Psychology TodayPrefaceIntroductionLearning to be deafImages of being A different center Living in others' world A changing consciousness The meaning of sound Historically created livesReferencesIndex

Introduction to American Deaf Culture


Thomas K. Holcomb - 2012
    Among the issues included are an analysis of various segments of the Deaf community, Deaf cultural norms, the tension between the Deaf and disabled communities, Deaf art and literature (both written English and ASL forms), thesolutions being offered by the Deaf community for effective living as Deaf individuals, and an analysis of the universality of the Deaf experience, including the enculturation process that many Deaf people undergo as they develop healthy identities.As a member of a multigenerational Deaf family with a lifetime of experience living bi-culturally among Deaf and hearing people, author Thomas K. Holcomb enhances the text with engaging stories interwoven throughout. In addition to being used in college-level courses, this book can also help parentsand educators of Deaf children understand the world of Deaf culture. It offers a beautiful introduction to the ways Deaf people effectively manage their lives in a world full of people who can hear.

A Word A Day: A Romp Through Some of the Most Unusual and Intriguing Words in English


Anu Garg - 2002
    Now at last here's a feast for them and other verbivores. Eat up!-Barbara WallraffSenior Editor at The Atlantic Monthly and author of Word CourtPraise for A Word a Day"AWADies will be familiar with Anu Garg's refreshing approach to words: words are fun and they have fascinating histories. The people who use them have curious stories to tell too, and this collection incorporates some of the correspondence received by the editors at the AWAD site, from advice on how to outsmart your opponent in a duel (or even a truel) to a cluster of your favorite mondegreens."-John Simpson, Chief Editor, Oxford English Dictionary"A banquet of words! Feast and be nourished!"-Richard Lederer, author of The Miracle of LanguageWritten by the founder of the wildly popular A Word A Day Web site (www.wordsmith.org), this collection of unusual, obscure, and exotic English words will delight writers, scholars, crossword puzzlers, and word buffs of every ilk. The words are grouped in intriguing categories that range from "Portmanteaux" to "Words That Make the Spell-Checker Ineffective." each entry includes a concise definition, etymology, and usage example-and many feature fascinating and hilarious commentaries by A Word A Day subscribers and the authors.

Everyone Here Spoke Sign Language: Hereditary Deafness on Martha's Vineyard


Nora Ellen Groce - 1984
    In stark contrast to the experience of most Deaf people in our own society, the Vineyarders who were born Deaf were so thoroughly integrated into the daily life of the community that they were not seen--and did not see themselves--as handicapped or as a group apart. Deaf people were included in all aspects of life, such as town politics, jobs, church affairs, and social life. How was this possible?On the Vineyard, hearing and Deaf islanders alike grew up speaking sign language. This unique sociolinguistic adaptation meant that the usual barriers to communication between the hearing and the Deaf, which so isolate many Deaf people today, did not exist.

For Hearing People Only: Answers to the Most Commonly Asked Questions About the Deaf Community, Its Culture, and the "Deaf Reality"


Matthew S. Moore - 1992
    Concise, easy-to-read, designed for those with no prior background, For Hearing People Only makes a formidably complex subject accessible. Each chapter can be read as an independent unit. This is the first book of its kind-written especially for laypeople who are curious about deaf people, and would like to separate truth from stereotype, fact from misconception, reality from myth. "Offers a quick fix without the mishmash of long-winded discourses and scholarly sources. Enlightening to deaf people, including myself. Honest and fair, with sage observations. A practical Handbook on Deaf Life and "The Deaf Reality." Should provoke lively discussions in class." - Dr. Robert F. Panara, Emeritus Professor of English & Drama at National Technical Institute for the Deaf at Rochester Institute of Technology