Comparing various sign languages

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Daft

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Does anyone know if there has been a study done comparing the grammar and syntax of different sign languages - such as ASL vs BSL or ASL vs Israeli Sign Language? I don't mean a difference in signs, but a difference in grammar/syntax. Are there major differences in the use of facial expressions between sign languages? Is word/sign order about the same in the various sign languages.

I know in verbal languages, there is often large differences in grammar and syntax. For example, here's an example of English vs German with word order. First I will show an English sentence, then I will show how the word order would be in German.

English: I told her that I have always wanted to fly to Germany.
German: I told her, that I always to Germany to fly to want have.
 
I know that Gallaudet Press has a number of books on ASL linguistics, sign languages linguistics (general & comparative) - they would be a good place to start looking (and contact for more reliable sources)

There's actually a book I got a while back called "[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Talking-Hands-Language-Reveals-About/dp/0743247132/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1294032271&sr=8-2"]Talking Hands[/ame]" by Margalist Fox (ISBN 978-0-7432-4712-2) which discusses the similarities and differences between various visual languages (and their spoken/written/hear linguistic counterparts)... while it's NOT a text book and is written to be accessible to people with only a minimal understanding of Sign Languages - I found it an interesting, light read and a good "starting place" in the topic. (I also found it fascinating that the town in which much or the book takes place effectively everyone signed - regardless of their hearing status or that of their families because the isolated town/village hand an unusually hight genetic predisposition to Hoh/Deafness - yet it wasn't seen as a "problem" just a "part of village life")

I'm not sure if that answers your question at all ?


I'd take a look around the Gally press site, look at The Green Books and (for fun) see if you can get a copy of "[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Talking-Hands-Language-Reveals-About/dp/0743247132/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1294032271&sr=8-2"]Talking Hands[/ame]" from the library (I actaully picked a copy up at the books store on sale & with a discount card for $5!! regular $30)
 
Thanks for the great response. I will check into the websites and book!!
 
Daft said:
Does anyone know if there has been a study done comparing the grammar and syntax of different sign languages - such as ASL vs BSL or ASL vs Israeli Sign Language? I don't mean a difference in signs, but a difference in grammar/syntax. Are there major differences in the use of facial expressions between sign languages? Is word/sign order about the same in the various sign languages.

I know in verbal languages, there is often large differences in grammar and syntax. For example, here's an example of English vs German with word order. First I will show an English sentence, then I will show how the word order would be in German.

English: I told her that I have always wanted to fly to Germany.
German: I told her, that I always to Germany to fly to want have.
Click to expand...

Yep. Check out some of the more reputable linguistics professional journals.
 
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