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Discussion Post #10
If I were to receive a research grant, the first thing I would do is find a connection to Russian culture itself. While doing online research is great, I would want to be physically in the culture I am researching. In turn, I would apply for the appropriate travel visa and research what area(s) of Russia are safest for me to live. Next, I would allocate my grant budget to my desired research topic. If researching Russian culture and language, I would center my research around how the political and geographical atmosphere affect or influence speech patterns. In other words, I would like to research how perhaps the colder climate intersects with the Russian cultural norm of being “colder”– less flagrantly positive, more blunt, etc. I would also like to study how Russia’s authoritarian rule affects Russian culture, and consequently, the Russian language. Specifically, I am interested in looking at if historical lack of privacy in Russia– mostly a result/factor of communism– has led to…
Read more…Language Learning Journal Entry #3
So far this month, my Language Learning Partner, Kimmi Kraus, and I have continued to deepen my understanding of ASL by exploring several different linguistic as well as cultural concepts. These concepts included classifiers, noun-verb pairs, temporal inflection, Deaf Clubs and, once again, the expansion of my vocabulary. The most interesting of all these concepts however, was undoubtedly classifiers. Classifiers in ASL are specific handshapes used to represent categories of objects, people, or movements. They are highly visual and allow signers to convey detailed information about size, shape, location, and motion in a very efficient way. At first, classifiers felt challenging because they require both creativity and spatial awareness, but with practice, I began to understand how they function within storytelling and everyday communication. I worked on using classifiers to describe objects moving through space, such as vehicles, people walking, and even people “tossing and turning”…
Read more…Language Learning Journal Entry #2
In February my Language Learning Partner and I conquered the more grammatical and morphological components of American Sign Language (ASL) while continuing to expand my vocabulary and overall confidence signing, a phase that was particularly meaningful because I began to move from simple memorization of signs into a deeper understanding of how ASL functions as a complete language with its own structures and rules. One of these key concepts I learned was how to refer to a list or rank items using hand listing. This technique allows a signer to communicate multiple ideas or categories in an organized, formulaic manner that enhances comprehension for the viewer. I practiced all three forms: general, generalized, and individualized and, through constant repetition and guided practice with my Language Learning Partner I became more confident using my non-dominant hand as a reference point while assigning meaning to each finger on my dominant hand. In addition to listing techniques, I also…
Read more…Discussion Post #10
If I received a research grant to conduct a linguistic study focused on ASL, I would first establish strong connections with members of the Deaf community and relevant organizations. Building trust and ensuring ethical research practices would be essential, particularly because Deaf culture has historically been marginalized and misrepresented in linguistic research, often simply regarded as a manual version of English. However, ASL is a fully developed natural language with its own grammar, syntax, and cultural context.Next, I would design a mixed-methods study that includes both qualitative and quantitative approaches. I would collect video data of natural ASL conversations in a variety of settings, such as schools, community centers, and social gatherings, allowing me to analyze authentic use of the language. I would also conduct interviews with Deaf participants to gain insight into their language attitudes, identity, and experiences. Since ASL is a visual-gestural language, video…
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