ELEMENTS OF SIGN LANGUAGE LEARNT IN AN INFORMAL SETTING:

THE EVOLUTION OF AN INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE DIALECT

- Anuj Gupta

Introduction

• Learning of Sign Language in an informal setting rather than study of non standard elements.

• Basic approach is similar to observing Colloquialism in any Language.

• The distinct elements should better be characterized as ‘colloquial’ rather than ‘non standard’.

Motivation

• Nicaraguan Sign language development. For the first time the evolution of a new Language was observed.

• Researchers got interested only after about 25 years of actual evolution.

• I tried to investigate the very grass root level elements that initiate development of a new word or phrase in sign language.

• Alphabets• Words: nouns, verbs, Adjectives, Adverbs• Phrases: nouns with adjectives and

adverbs.• Sentences: tenses• Event telling and paragraphs: description

of small incidents

Elements of Dataset

• Story telling: understanding a story, reconstruction

• Drawing Inference from other sign language.

Observation

• As proposed by Noam Chomsky that all languages are governed by a ‘universal grammar’. The Sign Language (both standard and non standard) follow it.

• Sentiments such as suspicion though difficult to express to them but were identifiable.

• The elements that were different were (according to the data that I could evaluate) due to alien nature of the element rather than their vocabulary. All such elements were related to the nearest similarity in their knowledge.

Side observations

• Highly developed observation skills.• Understanding and inference drawing

skills were highly developed.• Better understanding by combination

of picture and keywords rather than using only sentences.

• Street smartness and practical outlook.

Limitation

• Subjects were exposed to verbal training.

• Very low education level. Experienced kids were trained and the less experienced ones were not able to express themselves to us.

• Tests were performed in very much formal settings rather than in natural environment.