The Deaf as a People Group

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The Deaf as a People Group
Sign Language Commonalities
Orville Boyd Jenkins
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Sign Language Commonalities
The Deaf as a People Group

• Syntax grammar this is universal for all sign
  languages in the world
• Classifers certain handshapes that give
  pictures to improve meaning and clarification
• Non-Manual Markers 28 that are grammatically
  based and it is impossible to communicate in sign
  language without them.
• There are many others that build on these first
  28.
• Ex facial expression. The face indicates a
  question, comma, period, exclamation point, etc.
  The Non-Manual Marker must be at the beginning of
  the sentence, not the end.

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Sign Language Commonalities
The Deaf as a People Group

• Non-Manual Markers 28 that are grammatically
  based and it is impossible to communicate in sign
  language without them.
• There are many others that build on these first
  28.
• Ex facial expression. The face indicates a
  question, comma, period, exclamation point, etc.
  The Non-Manual Marker must be at the beginning of
  the sentence, not the end.

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Sign Language Commonalities
The Deaf as a People Group

• Iconic universal in all sign languages. The
  handshape takes on the very shape of the item
  being described.
• Ex C shape designates cup or glass and
  when brought to the mouth, indicates drink or
  drinking.

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The Deaf as a People Group
Characteristics of the Deaf The Deaf as an
Ethno-Linguistic People Group