Introducing International Sign (5cr)

Evaluation scale

0-5

Objective

This module builds upon students’ reflection upon different national sign languages and
their initial encounter with international signed communication in module 1.1. Students
will be introduced to and reflect upon International Sign (IS). They will acquire linguistic
skills that will enable them to engage more fully in transnational signed communication.
They will reflect on the unique potential of IS as a communicative practice in the
international Deaf community as well as its limitations. Students will apply linguistic
concepts learned in module 1.1 to the analysis of IS and become aware of its structure.
They will also be aware of the controversies concerning the political and linguistic status
of IS.

The module provides skills and insights to be built upon in subsequent modules of the
international skills strand of the study programme, in particular, modules 3.1
(“Translating between International Sign and English”) and 4.1 (“Interpreting between
English and International Sign”).

Accomplishment methods

Teaching methods
– In Phase A (40 h), students will do preparatory reading. Key texts to be read will
focus on (a) the history, status and use of IS and (b) essential structural features of
IS. There will be questions and tasks to guide reading, and students will be expected to bring the results of their reflections to the block seminar. Students will also be
asked to watch uses of IS on the internet (for instance, http://www.h3.t v), and draw
up a list of initial observations concerning specified criteria, to be discussed in the
block seminar.
– The block seminar (Phase B; 35 h) will comprise a series of seminars that take up
and elaborate upon the questions raised with reference to the preparatory reading
and students‘ initial observations (23 h). Particular emphasis will be paid to the
clarification and comparison of structural elements of IS with reference to known
features of DGS, BSL, FinSL, and other relevant national sign languages. The
seminar will also cover essential aspects of sign language transcription, making
reference to the application of glossing conventions in the context of using a tool like
ELAN (http://tla.mpi.nl/tools/tla-tools/elan/).
The block seminar will further be devoted to practical applications of IS (12 h), which
will focus on lexical items commonly used in IS and on structural features and
communication strategies typically used in IS. The emphasis is on language use and
interaction in relevant communicative contexts.
– Phase C (65 h) consists of individual student work. Students will deal with the
following set of tasks:
(a) application of descriptive linguistic concepts in the analysis of a sample IS text
(transcription & analytical comments);
(b) comparison of IS with national sign language use with respect to selected
morphological or syntactic features (linking back to the assessment in module
1.1);
(c) production of an IS text (video; 4–5 minutes).
Results of tasks (a) to (c) are to be collected in an electronic portfolio (assessed
submission).
– Phase D (10 h) consists of online activities: Students will prepare contributions in IS
on a topic relevant to the international Deaf community. These will be presented and
discussed in encounters with Deaf IS users

Content

– History of international signed communication
– Function and uses of international signed communication across Deaf communities
– Status of IS in relation to other contact languages (Pidgins, Creoles)
– Structure and variation in IS
– Comparison between morphological and syntactic features of national sign
languages and IS
– Introduction of lexical items commonly used in IS
– Practicing structural features and communication strategies in IS

Materials

Adam, R.. 2012. Language contact and borrowing. In Sign Language: An International
Handbook, Roland Pfau, Markus Steinbach and Bencie Woll (eds), 841-862. Berlin:
Mouton de Gruyter.
Allsop, L., B. Woll, Bencie and J. Brauti. 1995. International sign: The creation of an
international deaf community and sign language. In Sign Language Research 1994,
H. F. Bos and G. Schermer (eds), 171–188. Hamburg: Signum.
Hiddinga, A., and O. Crasborn. 2011. Signed languages and globalization. Language in
Society 40: 483–505.
Moody, W. 2002. International Sign: A Practitioner’s Perspective. Journal of
Interpretation: 1–47.
Rosenstock, R.. 2004. An Investigation of International Sign: Analyzing Structure and
Comprehension. Washington, D.C.: Gallaudet University.
Rosenstock, R., and J. Napier (eds.). 2016. International Sign: Linguistic Usage, and
Status Issues. Washington, D.C.: Gallaudet University Press.
Supalla, T. and Webb, R.. 1995. The Grammar of International Sign: A New Look at
Pidgin Languages. In Language, Gesture, and Space, Karen D. Emmorey and Judy
S. Reilly (eds), 333–352. Hillsdale, N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum.
Whynot, L. A. 2017. Understanding International Sign: A Sociolinguistic Study.
Washington, D.C.: Gallaudet University Press.
Woll, B.. 1990. International Perspectives on Sign Language Communication.
International Journal of Sign Linguistics 1:2: 107-120.