American Sign Language And Pidgin Signed English

795 Words2 Pages

Sign language is a method of communication for people who have hearing or speech impairments. Sign language is a language that is made up of gestures using the hands and some facial expressions which classifies it as a visual language. There are two different versions of sign language for english, American Sign Language (ASL) and Pidgin Signed English (PSE). Both are widely used across the world, but the signer who uses the versions and the syntax will be different, while the signs and the actual use will be the same.
A major difference between American Sign Language and Pidgin Signed English would be the syntax. Syntax is the order of the sentence so it makes sense when spoken or read. An American Sign Language professer and researcher said …show more content…

Stahlman is a researcher who conducted a study over native speakers and non-native speakers. If a person is born deaf, he or she would “acquire a first language via sign in a normal and natural environment” (Stahlman, 349). Meaning that a parent with a deaf child could possibly take ASL classes to help their child learn ASL before going to school. With a parent being able to sign that means a child would have a way to communicate more efficiently at school, home, and with the outside world. However, if a person becomes deaf later in life or is self-taught they may not use ASL due to the new syntax and grammar rules. Therefore, PSE would be easier for them to learn and use to communicate since the syntax and grammar rules are those of the spoken English …show more content…

It “is an important part of the social, cultural, and educational context of the hearing-impaired child’s development” (Stahlman, 349). If a person cannot communicate effectly then they may not thrive and develop while having a hearing or speech impairment. In both American Sign Language and Pidgin Signed English, a person who is hearing-impaired must learn to communicate with the world using only his hands and facial expressions. American Sign Language and Pidgin Signed English is a way for the unable to communicate. Both ASL and PSE can be taught in many different ways however, ASL is normally taught in school while PSE is normally self-taught but either way they are both a unique method of communication and can be used all over the world and can be translated and spoken just like any other language can

Open Document