Faculty and Staff Sign Language Program - Course Details

CLASSIFIERS #225

Description

    Classifiers are specific handshapes used to represent and describe the physical world that combined with location and movement, form a predicate phrase. Classifiers can be divided into categories dependent on linguistic functions. This course will provide an overview of the ASL classifier system and will review and categorize classifiers taught in the beginning level ASL courses. Practice exercises will focus on the use of semantic/pronominal and quantifier classifiers to represent nouns and their movements, and descriptive classifiers to describe the physical world, and instrumental classifiers to show how objects are handled or manipulated. Participants will practice choosing classifiers to convey information appropriately at the phrase, sentence and discourse levels. Students will be responsible for practicing and regular filming of themselves in preparation for classroom review/discussion and instructor feedback. Class meets for two hours a week for nine weeks with additional time outside of class for completing course assignments.

Prerequisites: SCPI rating of Survival Plus or Intermediate, completion of ASL 1C, or recommendation of ASL instructor.