Learning ASL – Focus on Non-Manual Signals

Learning ASL is not only about what is happening with the hands. Things happening with eyebrows, cheeks, shoulders, eye gaze … all can change the meaning of a message. These signals, sometimes called Non-Manual Markers (NMM) or Non-Manual Grammatical Signals (NMGS) are a critical feature of American Sign Language and can not be overlooked.

This brief overview for new signers will focus on one small, but critical, example: your eyebrows.

If asking a question that requires a Yes or No response, the eyebrows must be raised.

If asking a “Wh-word” question (who, what, where, when, why), the eyebrows must be lowered.

If you’re a fan of the ABC Family TV show “Switched At Birth”, you might have seen Daphne (Katie Leclerc) giving Wilke (Austin Butler) a lesson that included the need to raise his eyebrows in Episode 21.

The raising and lowering of eyebrows to indicate the type of question is just a teeny, tiny example of all the possible non-manual signals that are used by fluent ASL signers. Remember to watch a person’s face (not their hands) when communicating in ASL to get the full message.

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This lesson concludes our series on the parameters of ASL Sign Production: handshape, movement, location, palm orientation and non-manual signals. If you found it helpful, or have comments or questions, please leave a reply. We are considering making this info available in Power Point or Keynote for you to use in your classroom or with your homeschool group. If that is something you would like, please let us know – leave a reply or send an email to Cathi!

Focus on Sign Production

For those of you teaching yourself American Sign Language, or learning from a book, or using a book as reference for teaching a class of youngsters, here is some basic information about sign formation.

As you know, spoken language is understood to be a sequence of sounds. These sounds are produced with the lips, tongue, back of the throat, etc, and we recognize and produce different words by knowing where to place our lips or teeth (place of articulation) and the action to make the sound we want (manner of articulation). A couple of examples of places of articulation include:

• bilabial – words that are made with both lips (bat, mat)
• labiodental – words that are made with the lower lip and the teeth (fat, vat)
• interdental – words that are made with the tongue between the teeth (this, that)

Manner of articulation is what else needs to happen to make a sound. To make the B sound for the word ‘bat’ we make a kind of pop with our lips, but without puffing out air. If we puff out air, the B sound becomes a P sound. The M sound is also with both lips, but the air goes thru our nose.

For hearing individuals whose first language is English, the difference in these sounds is easily recognized. The purpose of this writing tho, is not a lesson in speech therapy or linguistics, but rather a way to demonstrate how signs in ASL are produced and to remind the new learner that although the sound for P differs only slightly in its production from B, the words they make are entirely different.

The production of American Sign Language signs includes:

• Handshape – specific shapes of the hand
• Movement – the specific handshape moves in a specific way
• Location – the specific handshape, that moves in a specific way, is located in a specific place on the body or in space
• Palm orientation – all the previous features must also include having the palm facing in a specific direction
• Non-manual markers – this a feature that doesn’t involve your hands at all but happens on your face or with your eyebrows or head.

As you watch people signing, or practice making signs, try to notice each of the features. What handshapes are being used? What is the movement, where is the location?

Then check back here in a week or two and we will look at each of these features in more detail. In the meantime, if you find this information helpful or you have questions about it, let me know by writing a comment or your question.

Places to Observe and Practice

So you’ve been taking classes or practicing from a book or videos and you’re wondering how to get some ‘real’ practice.

Unlike learning other world languages where you might be able to go to a country where the language is spoken, or a neighborhood community to interact with users of the language you’re studying, learning ASL and finding appropriate opportunities for hanging out with Deaf people can be challenging.

A terrific way to be immersed in the Deaf world for a day is to attend a Deaf Expo. There are thousands of Deaf adults and children socializing everywhere, there are vendors of ASL products and Deaf organizations that would love to converse with you and encourage your ASL learning.

There are often performances, with storytelling and games and drawings ….. all a feast for your eyes and wonderful for observing not only how the language is being used, but how social interactions happen.

Two of the major Expos that I know of are DeafNation Expo and Mata Expo. Check out their websites and don’t miss the chance to go if one is being held in your area. Also check out our calendar to see which of the DeafNation events we’ll be at and come and say hi to me!

Have you been to an Expo? Have suggestions for new learners planning on going? Share your questions and your experiences here with us.