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Also see: Inflection
Topic: How do you talk about more than one thing in ASL?
A student named Michelle writes:
Hello Professor,
I have a quick question. When referring to more than one subject/item when
signing do we shift sides? For example,
"HAIR,
LONG-HAIR, SHORT-HAIR, WHICH YOU THINK PRETTY?" Would we
sign 'long hair' on one side and then sign 'short hair' on the other?
If so, or if it does not apply to this, what side do we start from when
referring to several topics, left or right (I am right handed)?
Thank you,
- Michelle
Michelle,
Hello :)
In the example video I signed "long-HAIR" with my right hand and then
short-HAIR with both hands.
I did a very slight (almost unnoticeable if you aren't looking for it) shift
to my left at the beginning of the comparison (when I signed long-HAIR) and
then shifted my upper-body back to center (and a little right) for the
second item in the comparison (short-HAIR). I looked at a different
video
of me signing that sentence and I didn't use any contrastive body shift -- I
just did a bit of "head nod" for "topicalization" of the "hair" concept.
So, one way to discuss more than one item is to simply name the items.
"Shifting" our body is one of several ways to help clarify that we are
talking about more than one item. Since you only have one "left-side" and
one "right-side" body-shifting is well suited for comparing or contrasting
(just) two items. This is actually referred to as "contrastive
structure."
If you need to describe and keep track of three items you can set them up --
one on the left, one in the middle, and one on the right -- and then point
to them as needed.
The non-dominant hand (the left hand if you are right handed) can be used to
keep track of, discuss, and/or refer back to up to five items very easily
simply by holding up the appropriate number of fingers (using the relevant
ASL number handshape) and then assigning each discussion item to a finger
and then pointing to or tapping that finger as necessary.
The non-dominant hand can actually use that "tap" method on up to "9"
items simply by changing the hand into the ASL numbers 6 through 9 as
needed.
As far as your question of "What side do we start from when referring to
several topics, left or right?" -- you may be advised by various ASL experts
or teachers to start contrastive structure type signing on the non-dominant
side then shift toward the dominant side. If your are taking a class
from a teacher who feels strongly one way or another then sure -- go
ahead and sign the way your local teacher wants until you get the grade you
want. Then go out in the real world where you will see native Deaf
adult skilled signers starting on either side.
Cordially,
-Dr. Bill
p.s. I would generally not sign long-HAIR with my right hand and short-HAIR with
just my left-hand to compare the two items -- but I would not have any
heartburn over any of my friends or acquaintances signing long-HAIR with one
hand and short-HAIR with their other hand to compare the two items. I
would certainly do that type of two-handed comparative signing for "other"
comparisons such as "team scores" where I would do the score for one team on
my right hand and the other team on my left hand.
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