Pre-Interpreting ASL – IV

The following global ideas guide the design and delivery of this course:

• ASL tends to be highly descriptive and detailed as well as narrative in nature.  Fluent users of ASL apply the correct semantic lexical choices and use linguistic techniques to convey meaning.
• Fluent users of ASL structure discourse according to real-time sequencing and have a diverse semantic range in which classifiers, spatial locatives, directional verbs and affect markers are used to provide specific semantic information.
• Fluent ASL signers use correct grammatical structure.  They are able to incorporate sign sequencing with visual grammatical markers to communicate in a variety of registers and can adapt their language to numerous contextual variations.  These include special ways of communicating with Deaf children, youth, senior citizens, novice sign language users, etc.
• Individuals who work with Deaf children, youth and adults are expected to be aware of the cultural aspects of the language and community and demonstrate cultural sensitivity and proper social behaviours.
• Regional differences exist in ASL used throughout North America and interpreters need to adapt their language use to the norms of the region in which they work.
• Second language users should understand how “polite” and “artistic” linguistic structures are used and when/where it is appropriate for non-deaf people to use them.
• Consumers of interpreting have diverse linguistic needs and interpreters must be versatile in varying their signing across a spectrum that includes ASL but also more English-like forms known as contact sign varieties.