This PowerPoint presentation will introduce you to the five key parameters in American Sign Language ... HANDSHAPE, MOVEMENT, LOCATION, ORIENTATION, NON-MANUAL MARKER

1. American Sign Language I:American Sign Language I:
PARAMETERSPARAMETERS
Anthony J. Aramburo, Ph.D.
AMSL 1010 - 01
Xavier University
Fall 2017

2. ASL PhonologyASL Phonology
American Sign Language
Linguistics use the term
phonology to refer to the
study of how signs are
structured and organized
(Valli and Lucas, 1995)

3. Basic Parts of A SignBasic Parts of A Sign
(Parameters)(Parameters)
Handshape
Movement
Location
Orientation
Non Manual Markers

4. HandshapeHandshape

5. MovementMovement
Up and Down
Side to Side
Others?

6. LocationLocation
Head
Trunk
Arm
Hand
Others?

7. OrientationOrientation
Palm Up
Palm Down
Palm In
Palm Out

8. Non Manual MarkersNon Manual Markers
YES/NO Questions
WH Questions
Negations
CHA
PAH

9. Activity #1Activity #1
English Sentence
–My aunt is deaf.
ASL GLOSS
–MY AUNT DEAF

10. MY AUNT DEAFMY AUNT DEAF
Handshape
– 5 A 1
Movement
– Moves inward
– Circular
–Up and Down
Location
– trunk
– cheek
– head
Orientation
– palm facing in
– palm right
–palm right

11. Minimal PairsMinimal Pairs
Signs that are contrastive
in meaning and are
identical in all segments
except one

12. Minimal PairsMinimal Pairs
ENGLISH
– cat ~ hat sock ~ rock
ASL
– MOTHER ~ FATHER (location)
– SIT ~ CHAIR (movement)
– RED ~ PINK (handshape)
–SMELL ~ SMELL (NMM)
(Nice) (Foul)