AquaBlue

My Deaf (ASL) teacher told the class a few weeks ago that classifiers are used 80% of the time in ASL communication. Is this true?

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Etoile

80% of the time, or in 80% of ASL? Yes, classifiers make up most of an ASL conversation, but not all of it. Also, it is unusual to find an ASL conversation that does not include classifiers.

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deafbajagal

Classifers are the "meat" of ASL, IMO.

AquaBlue

80% of ASL

Wow! Good to know.

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Interpretrator

Where is the source for that 80% statistic? Or was your teacher just making up a number to prove the point?

I really doubt my conversations are 80% classifiers. There are, though, lots of signs that people will argue about whether they are really signs or if they're classifiers.

AquaBlue

I do not know Interpretrator. My Deaf teacher said it is 80%. Beats me where he got that percentage. What percentage would you say Interpretrator?

I am a student and all I do is listen to my ASL teacher and trust what he tells me. Is he wrong?

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Etoile

Let's just say it's subjective. You can't definitively say that 80% or 24% or any percent of ASL is classifiers...the correct answer is, "It depends."

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AquaBlue

On another note, my deaf teacher also told me that a small, very, very small (he estimated 2%) percentage of hearing student study at Gallaudet University. He also told me, being a former student of Gally himself, that most teachers teach via ASL- no spoken words. Is that true?

Etoile: You know that there might be a chance for me to attend Gally. I am, as you know, disabled (bipolar)- disability can pay for my tuition. I will look into it tomorrow (or this week for sure) what the facts are regarding my chance to attend Gally.

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RDC_girl

Yeah the woman I work with has said this "80% of the conversation is Classifiers"

I find it hard to use classifiers, but I am getting better lol

AquaBlue

I like classifiers. I used them more than I think when I sign.

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Interpretrator

Agreed.

If someone can find a citation for me I'll take it back but I doubt there've been any definitive studies concluding what percentage of ASL is classifiers.

AquaBlue

That's fair; I agree too. So what would be a good (and accurate) percentage?

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Gemma

Ill be the brave one and ask.........


What is a classifier?

AquaBlue

Click Here Gemma.

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AlleyCat

Most ASL teachers are indeed deaf and start right out using ASL, no voice. It's a good way to learn, IMO.

As far as classifiers go, this is something hearing people look at when learning sign. Not so much for the deaf, IMO. Not sure if that makes a difference in answering your question. I guess I find when deaf people are learning sign for the first time, they are picking up signs from other deaf people and/or from a sign language class. So classifiers aren't thought of as much in the deaf community. For example, the classifier 1 used to indicate a person walking, or the number one, etc., isn't thought of as the classifer 1, but simply the sign for the person walking or the number one. So I think all of us deaf people use classifiers without realizing it, but I'm not sure exactly how it is a learning tool for the hearies. Care to elaborate on why your teacher mentioned this, and the importance? I'm curious ...

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AquaBlue

Well my deaf teacher uses classifiers ALOT. I picked that up early in the course. We use the ABC text and have gone over that part of ASL. It's pretty simple really...no big deal. It was part of the lesson that's all. Another learned item that's makes a ton of sense to clarify whatever is being signed.

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AlleyCat

Oh, not saying anything's wrong with classifiers. I just don't see/hear about it being used in the deaf community, only in the hearing community. And was wondering how it enhances your learning skills, that's all.

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AquaBlue

oh ok. It enhances my learning because it helps me read what the other signer is communicating better. So with deaf, classifiers are a natural way to sign...no definition of classifiers, as far as text book knowledge. Is that what you mean AlleyCat?

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AlleyCat

I think so .. I guess I'm thinking that like I said earlier, when a deaf person (even at adult age) is learning sign for the first time, learning the sign for a deaf person walking can be used with one finger and "wandering" about (for lack of better way of explaining that sign) is thought of to be just that, whereas a hearing person learning learning sign learns it as a classifier .. not that there is anything wrong with that in the least ... I'm confused as to how learning it as as a classifer is better/different (if any) than learning the same sign as a person walking vs. as a classifier 1?

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ismi

I'm one of those folks (deaf, learned ASL late). We did discuss classifiers some in the classes I took, but I did realize later on that some signs I had learned could be used as classifiers. The reason to teach classifiers as such, I think, is that spoken languages don't use words that way. In my own head, I have some things listed as classifiers, and some things as signs, and some in between - so while usually I think of WALKING as a classifier, I tend to think of FENCE as a sign that can be used in classifier-like ways. I think the pitfall a lot of ASL students hit - I certainly did - is not realizing that *lots* of things can be used to spatially in ASL, regardless of whether it's formally a classifier or not.

Etoile

Yes, there are hearing students at Gally, they are called HUGs (Hearing Undergraduates). I was originally accepted as a HUG before they determined I have a hearing loss. You must be fluent in ASL, there is a screening to determine what level you are (ASLPI) and they require fluency. Yes, most teachers use ASL without speaking, though some sim-com. There is also an ethical interview. There are only about 10 HUG students accepted every year, and you have to write essays for it, etc. It's actually a very competitive program, I think they have about 75 students apply every year and only 10-12 get in.

VR does not pay full tuition, they mostly pay for books. SSI helps with the expenses but it doesn't pay your full tuition. Some students get scholarships and grants. Keep in mind that these things are usually awarded to deaf students first - hearing students almost always have to pay their own way completely, even if they have another disability.

Not trying to be discouraging - those are just the facts. It's a tough program to get into if you're hearing.

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AquaBlue

You popped my bubble Etoile.

Ooh well. Forward with my second option, Flagler College. My third option is city college. Let's see what happens.

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deafskeptic

Mmm. This is an interesting thread. I've always seen the 3 CL as the "ship" classifier even though it can be applied to all vehicles and it's why I keep calling the zeppelins in WoW the ship... in English.

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