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Academic Year 2003/2004

American Sign Language I
LANG 190 FA

This course introduces students to the fundamentals of American Sign Language (ASL), the principal system of manual communication among the American deaf. Not to be confused with Signed English (to which a certain amount of comparative attention is given) or with other artificially developed systems, ASL is a conceptual language and not merely encoded or fingerspelled English. As such, while to some extent influenced by English, depending on the individual signer, it presents its own grammar and structure, involving such elements as topicalization, spatial indexing, directionality, classification, syntactic body language, etc. By the end of the semester, students should have learned between 700 and 800 conceptual signs and their use. They will also have been introduced to aspects of American deaf culture--sociology, psychology, education, theater, etc.--through a variety of readings and discussions.

MAJOR READINGS

EXAMINATIONS AND ASSIGNMENTS

COURSE FORMAT: Language

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

Level: UGRD    Credit: 1    Gen Ed Area Dept: NONE    Grading Mode: Student Option   

Prerequisites: NONE

SECTION 01

Instructor(s): Mullen,Sheila M.   

Times: .M.W.F. 10:00AM-10:50AM;     Location: FISK414

Reserved Seats:    (Total Limit: 25)

SR. major: 0   Jr. major: 0

SR. non-major: 7   Jr. non-major: 6   SO: 6   FR: 6

Special Attributes:

Last Updated on MAR-19-2004

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