An Exploration Of Kinesics In Black American Sign Language,
2019
Gallaudet University
An Exploration Of Kinesics In Black American Sign Language, Micayla Ann Whitmer
Undergraduate University Honors Capstones
The relationship between kinesics, a sub-field of linguistics which focuses on the intersection of expressive language and nonverbal communication, and African American Vernacular English (AAVE) or Ebonics has been studied extensively; however, the existence of kinesics in Black ASL has not been studied. This study found that kinesics does in fact occur in Black ASL. In addition, this paper points out that although Black ASL has been compared with traditional or white ASL, Black ASL has yet to be extensively compared with AAVE. Data came from raw video footage collected during the Black ASL project and is available for public …
Growing Up Deaf In Appalachia: An Oral History Of My Mother,
2019
East Tennessee State University
Growing Up Deaf In Appalachia: An Oral History Of My Mother, Elizabeth Shelton Tipton
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
This study focuses on the life experiences of a rural, Deaf Appalachian woman, Jane Ann Shelton, a second generation Deaf child born to Deaf parents from the communities of Devil’s Fork (Flag Pond, Tennessee) and Shelton Laurel (Madison County, North Carolina). Over two hours of videotaped interviews were interpreted and transcribed, followed by various other communications to describe the life of a rural, Deaf Appalachian woman without a formal high school degree. As an advocate and a political lobbyist in Tennessee during the 1980s and 90s, she was unparalleled by her peers (deaf or hearing) in her efforts to “enhance …
The Perceived Mapping Between Form And Meaning In American Sign Language Depends On Linguistic Knowledge And Task: Evidence From Iconicity And Transparency Judgments,
2019
Chapman University
The Perceived Mapping Between Form And Meaning In American Sign Language Depends On Linguistic Knowledge And Task: Evidence From Iconicity And Transparency Judgments, Zed Sevcikova Sehyr, Karen Emmorey
Communication Sciences and Disorders Faculty Articles and Research
Iconicity is often defined as the resemblance between a form and a given meaning, while transparency is defined as the ability to infer a given meaning based on the form. This study examined the influence of knowledge of American Sign Language (ASL) on the perceived iconicity of signs and the relationship between iconicity, transparency (correctly guessed signs), ‘perceived transparency’ (transparency ratings of the guesses), and ‘semantic potential’ (the diversity (H index) of guesses). Experiment 1 compared iconicity ratings by deaf ASL signers and hearing non-signers for 991 signs from the ASL-LEX database. Signers and non-signers’ ratings were highly correlated; however, …
Baggage: An Original Script And Production Furthering The Evolution Of Deaf Theatre,
2019
Gallaudet University
Baggage: An Original Script And Production Furthering The Evolution Of Deaf Theatre, Nikolya Sereda
Undergraduate University Honors Capstones
As an homage to the musical RENT, I wrote and directed an original play entitled Baggage, a semi-autobiographical coming-of-age story, that was produced for the Gallaudet University Theatre Department’s spring 2019 production. Baggage follows three Deaf teenagers, Michaela, Gage, and Isabel, who connect through the music of RENT, as they find themselves entangled which ultimately ends in a falling out. The play also shows the experience of growing up in a hearing family as Michaela, Gage, and Isabel face frustration, underestimation, and neglect in their families. To spotlight the multifaceted ways of experiencing deafness, three songs from RENT were incorporated …
Second Language Acquisition Of American Sign Language Influences Co-Speech Gesture Production,
2019
San Diego State University
Second Language Acquisition Of American Sign Language Influences Co-Speech Gesture Production, Jill Weisberg, Shannon Casey, Zed Sevcikova Sehyr, Karen Emmorey
Communication Sciences and Disorders Faculty Articles and Research
Previous work indicates that 1) adults with native sign language experience produce more manual co-speech gestures than monolingual non-signers, and 2) one year of ASL instruction increases gesture production in adults, but not enough to differentiate them from non-signers. To elucidate these effects, we asked early ASL–English bilinguals, fluent late second language (L2) signers (≥ 10 years of experience signing), and monolingual non-signers to retell a story depicted in cartoon clips to a monolingual partner. Early and L2 signers produced manual gestures at higher rates compared to non-signers, particularly iconic gestures, and used a greater variety of handshapes. These results …
Pronouns In Asl-English Simultaneous Interpretation,
2019
University of Texas at Austin
Pronouns In Asl-English Simultaneous Interpretation, David Quinto-Pozos, Kierstin Muroski, Emily Saunders
Journal of Interpretation
Pronominal systems across languages mark grammatical categories in different ways, and this can pose challenges for simultaneous interpretation. Pronouns can also be ambiguous, for example, by collapsing distinctions in some forms or by resembling demonstratives. We examine pronouns produced by a Deaf signer of American Sign Language (ASL) within a TEDx talk and how they are interpreted (simultaneously) by an ASL-English interpreter. Pronouns from both languages were coded and scrutinized for semantic correspondence across the two languages. Robust correspondences were found with some personal pronouns, especially first-person forms. However, mismatches across languages, in particular third-person forms and demonstratives, provide evidence …
American Sign Language Interpreters And Their Influence On The Hearing World,
2018
Liberty University
American Sign Language Interpreters And Their Influence On The Hearing World, Madison Groat
Senior Honors Theses
This honors thesis is going to discuss the hearing community’s perception of American Sign Language and by association the hearing community’s perception of the Deaf community. For most of the hearing community their only interaction with American Sign Language is through watching an interpreter perform at their job. They personally have no physical interactions with the language. Even though they have never personally used the language or attempted to interact with the Deaf community they will draw their own conclusions about sign language and the Deaf community. The conclusions that are assumed tend to be incorrect. Early on in the …
South Carolina Educational Interpreting Center Annual Report,
2018
Clemson University
South Carolina Educational Interpreting Center Annual Report, Stephen Fitzmaurice
Publications
Clemson University and its partners at the South Carolina State Department of Education and the South Carolina School for the Deaf and the Blind manage the South Carolina Educational Interpreting Center (SCEIC) at the University Center in Greenville, South Carolina. The SCEIC provides national performance and knowledge assessments, mentoring and educational opportunities for South Carolina Educational Interpreters. This annual report details the SCEIC outputs and outcomes for Educational Interpreters in the state for the 2017-2018 academic year.
Staging Medea For D/Deaf Audiences In The 21st Century: Strategic Adaptation, Translation, And Production Approaches To Greek Theatre,
2018
Gallaudet University
Staging Medea For D/Deaf Audiences In The 21st Century: Strategic Adaptation, Translation, And Production Approaches To Greek Theatre, Casey Johnson-Pasqua
Undergraduate University Honors Capstones
Greek theatre and Deaf theatre are two forms of theatre that are on the opposite ends of a sensory spectrum. Greek theatre is auditory-based with an acoustically designed stage, seating twenty-five thousand. With two to three actors on the stage, movements are minimal, and masks are used to portray numerous characters. Visually based Deaf theatre uses movement through facial expression, body language, and American Sign Language. Because of this sharp contrast, there has been hesitancy in taking on a Greek play in Deaf theatre. Gallaudet University’s Theatre and Dance program has not produced an ancient Greek tragedy since Ethan Sinnott’s …
Understanding Deaf Culture,
2018
University of Rhode Island
Understanding Deaf Culture, Meghan Flanagan
Senior Honors Projects
Culture defines people and gives them a sense of identity. It provides a community for individuals with similar beliefs and values to communicate with one another using a shared language. Deaf Culture encompasses these principles, but it is unique in that it has it’s own fully developed language known as American Sign Language (ASL). ASL is a verbal language that incorporates all of the linguistic components of a spoken language such as syntax, idioms, and dialect variation. It allows the deaf community to have a distinct sense of humor along with their own traditions, literature, and theater. All of these …
Referring Strategies In American Sign Language And English (With Co-Speech Gesture): The Role Of Modality In Referring To Non-Nameable Objects,
2018
Chapman University
Referring Strategies In American Sign Language And English (With Co-Speech Gesture): The Role Of Modality In Referring To Non-Nameable Objects, Zed Sevcikova Sehyr, Brenda Nicodemus, Jennifer Petrich, Karen Emmorey
Communication Sciences and Disorders Faculty Articles and Research
American Sign Language (ASL) and English differ in linguistic resources available to express visual–spatial information. In a referential communication task, we examined the effect of language modality on the creation and mutual acceptance of reference to non-nameable figures. In both languages, description times reduced over iterations and references to the figures’ geometric properties (“shape-based reference”) declined over time in favor of expressions describing the figures’ resemblance to nameable objects (“analogy-based reference”). ASL signers maintained a preference for shape-based reference until the final (sixth) round, while English speakers transitioned toward analogy-based reference by Round 3. Analogy-based references were more time efficient …
The N170 Erp Component Differs In Laterality, Distribution, And Association With Continuous Reading Measures For Deaf And Hearing Readers,
2017
San Diego State University
The N170 Erp Component Differs In Laterality, Distribution, And Association With Continuous Reading Measures For Deaf And Hearing Readers, Karen Emmorey, Katherine J. Midgley, Casey B. Kohen, Zed Sevcikova Sehyr, Phillipp J. Holcomb
Communication Sciences and Disorders Faculty Articles and Research
The temporo-occipitally distributed N170 ERP component is hypothesized to reflect print-tuning in skilled readers. This study investigated whether skilled deaf and hearing readers (matched on reading ability, but not phonological awareness) exhibit similar N170 patterns, given their distinct experiences learning to read. Thirty-two deaf and 32 hearing adults viewed words and symbol strings in a familiarity judgment task. In the N170 epoch (120–240 ms) hearing readers produced greater negativity for words than symbols at left hemisphere (LH) temporo-parietal and occipital sites, while deaf readers only showed this asymmetry at occipital sites. Linear mixed effects regression was used to examine the …
South Carolina Educational Interpreting Center Annual Report,
2017
Clemson University
South Carolina Educational Interpreting Center Annual Report, Stephen Fitzmaurice
Publications
Clemson University has partnered with the South Carolina State Department of Education and the South Carolina School for the Deaf and the Blind to open the South Carolina Educational Interpreting Center (SCEIC) at the University Center in Greenville, South Carolina. The SCEIC provides national performance and knowledge assessments, mentoring and educational opportunities for South Carolina Educational Interpreters. This annual report details the SCEIC outputs and outcomes for Educational Interpreters in the state for the 2016- 2017 academic year.
Improving Deaf Citizens' Participation In The American Electoral Process,
2017
Gallaudet University
Improving Deaf Citizens' Participation In The American Electoral Process, Jehanne Mccullough
Undergraduate University Honors Capstones
Improving Deaf people’s participation in politics involved a service-learning project with three activities. First, the Deaf People for Hillary campaign focused on maintaining nationwide social media platforms; increasing Deaf representation in the Hillary for America (HFA) campaign and its disability community taskforce; and testing get-out-the-vote (GOTV) strategies among Deaf people in the Nevada primary. Second, an internship with the HFA campaign at the national headquarters included a first in campaign and political party history: an American Sign Language (ASL) voter assistance videophone hotline operated by volunteers to serve all voters regardless of party. Third, a post-election survey of Deaf non-voters …
Implicit Co-Activation Of American Sign Language In Deaf Readers: An Erp Study,
2017
San Diego State University
Implicit Co-Activation Of American Sign Language In Deaf Readers: An Erp Study, Gabriela Meade, Katherine J. Midgley, Zed Sevcikova Sehyr, Phillipp J. Holcomb, Karen Emmorey
Communication Sciences and Disorders Faculty Articles and Research
In an implicit phonological priming paradigm, deaf bimodal bilinguals made semantic relatedness decisions for pairs of English words. Half of the semantically unrelated pairs had phonologically related translations in American Sign Language (ASL). As in previous studies with unimodal bilinguals, targets in pairs with phonologically related translations elicited smaller negativities than targets in pairs with phonologically unrelated translations within the N400 window. This suggests that the same lexicosemantic mechanism underlies implicit co-activation of a non-target language, irrespective of language modality. In contrast to unimodal bilingual studies that find no behavioral effects, we observed phonological interference, indicating that bimodal bilinguals may …
Best Practices For Educational Interpreters In South Carolina,
2017
Clemson University
Best Practices For Educational Interpreters In South Carolina, Stephen Fitzmaurice, Karen Chamness, Diane Formhals, Terri Gross, Beth Ann Kluft, Maureen Irons, Susie Spainhour, Anita Steichen-Mcdaniel, Eric Weber, Sara J. Mckay
Publications
The purpose of this reference is to provide districts, charter schools, and state operated programs with best practices for working with educational interpreters including, but not limited to, roles and responsibilities, code of professional conduct, and suggested credentialing. It is not required by regulation but is simply the most up-to-date recommendation from the field.
American Sign Language I Asl 101,
2016
University of Rhode Island
American Sign Language I Asl 101, Joanna Burkhardt
Library Impact Statements
No abstract provided.
American Sign Language Ii Asl 102,
2016
University of Rhode Island
American Sign Language Ii Asl 102, Joanna Burkhardt
Library Impact Statements
No abstract provided.
Disfluent Pausing Effects On Listener Judgments Of An Asl-English Interpretation,
2015
Clemson University
Disfluent Pausing Effects On Listener Judgments Of An Asl-English Interpretation, Stephen Fitzmaurice, Kim A. Purdy
Publications
Although not all spoken language pauses are purposeful or functional, there is general agreement on the function and appropriate length and placement of pauses in English. Failing to conform to this agreement constitutes a pausing disfluency. In an interpreted environment, pauses do not generally detract from the discourse event, nor do they negatively impact the participants’ perception of one another, as long as the interpreter maintains generally acceptable pausing parameters (Fors, 2011; Heldner & Edlund, 2010; Krivokapi, 2007). Listeners of any communication event invariably form opinions about the speaker’s personality and make judgments about their character and background, forming a …
Literacy Narratives Of African-American Community College Students: Implications For Curriculum Alignment, Instructional Design, And Entry-Level Assessment,
2014
Indiana State University
Literacy Narratives Of African-American Community College Students: Implications For Curriculum Alignment, Instructional Design, And Entry-Level Assessment, Roderick S. Brown
All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations
This study investigated potential causes of developmental English placement among recent African-American high school graduates enrolled at a community college. Participants were four men and five women from lower- and lower-middle economic backgrounds who had completed an entry-level writing assessment prior to enrollment. An electronic survey was administered to all participants and included questions about literacy experiences in elementary, middle, and high school. Using an ethnographic approach to thematic narrative analysis, the author compared the literacy narratives of students who had tested into college-level composition with those who had tested into developmental English. Results indicated that participants who had tested …
