MCCCD Program Description

Comparative Linguistics: ASL/English

Course: ASL204

First Term: 2020 Fall

Lecture 3.0 Credit(s) 3.0 Period(s) 3.0 Load
Subject Type: Occupational
Load Formula: S - Standard Load

Description: A variety of topics about linguistics of American Sign Language (ASL) and English including phonology, morphology, lexicon, syntax, discourse, and language acquisition. Aspects of using sign language and how visual languages differ and are similar to spoken language.

MCCCD Official Course Competencies
1. Identify the concepts of language. (I) 2. Analyze and distinguish among the phonological structures of ASL and English. (II) 3. Analyze and distinguish among the morphological structures of ASL and English. (III) 4. Analyze and distinguish among the syntactical structures of ASL and English. (IV) 5. Analyze and distinguish among the semantics of ASL and English. (V) 6. Identify and differentiate the variations in language usage between ASL and English. (VI)
MCCCD Official Course Competencies must be coordinated with the content outline so that each major point in the outline serves one or more competencies. MCCCD faculty retains authority in determining the pedagogical approach, methodology, content sequencing, and assessment metrics for student work. Please see individual course syllabi for additional information, including specific course requirements.

MCCCD Official Course Outline
I. Basic language concepts A. Definition B. Symbols of language C. System of language D. Shared communication in the community E. Characteristics 1. Productive 2. Arbitrary and iconic 3. Relationships among symbols 4. Introduction of new symbols 5. Unrestricted domains 6. Parts and/or basic components 7. Multiple meanings 8. Time factors a. Past b. Present c. Future d. Non-immediate situations e. Changes across time 9. Interchangeability F. ASL as a language II. Phonology A. Structures of ASL 1. Handshape 2. Movement 3. Location 4. Palm orientation 5. Non-manual signals B. Structures of the English language 1. Consonants 2. Vowels C. Stokoe notation system D. Sequence of signs and words E. Movement/hold model F. Phonological process III. Morphology A. Phonology vs. morphology B. Derivation of nouns from verbs 1. ASL 2. English C. Compounds D. Lexicalized fingerspelling and loan signs E. Incorporation of numerals F. Function of space in ASL G. Classifier predicates and locative verbs H. Classifier predicates and signer perspective I. Subject-object agreement J. Pronouns and determiners K. Temporal aspects L. Derivational and inflectional morphology M. Time in ASL IV. Syntactical structures: English and ASL A. Simple sentences with plain verbs B. Simple sentences with agreement verbs C. Basic sentence types 1. Yes/No questions 2. Who questions 3. Question mark wiggle 4. Rhetorical questions 5. Negation 6. Commands 7. Topicalization 8. Conditionals 9. Relative clauses V. Semantics A. Meaning of words and signs B. Meaning of sentences VI. Variations in usage between ASL and English A. Examples and historical changes B. ASL discourse C. Bilingualism D. Contact sign E. Language as art

MCCCD Governing Board Approval Date: February 25, 2020

All information published is subject to change without notice. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information presented, but based on the dynamic nature of the curricular process, course and program information is subject to change in order to reflect the most current information available.