I can´t hear you!

Outline: 1.Introduction 2.Sign languages transmission 3.Systems of communication for deaf people 4.Phonological features 5.General misunderstandings 6.Conclusion

1. What is sign language? Imagine you could not hear nor talk; how would you feel? What would you do? Probably you would feel a strong necessity to express what you are thinking of.

Have you ever thought how do deaf-mute people relate things and concepts with their symbolic representations and names?  Visual and gestural  Hands and the whole body  Face expressions

Sign language is the conventional language for deaf-mute people since around Reducción de las letras y arte para enseñar a hablar a los mudos (Juan Pablo Bonet)

Socrates said: "If we hadn't a voice or a tongue, and wanted to express things to one another, wouldn't we try to make signs by moving our hands, head, and the rest of our body, just as dumb people do at present?"

2. How does a sign language emerge?  An individual with hearing problems creates a system to use in his environment.  Possess their own grammar system.

2.1 How are these sign languages transmitted?  Developed within a single family: Home sign or kitchen sign - Not an official language.  Less than 10%  Majority: Form part of associations Go to special schools Deaf communities

2.3 What factors determine their transmission? Internal factors:  Size  Proximity  Cohesion  Self-awareness

External factors:  Economic situation  Educational intervention  Governmental intervention  Availability of technology and interpreters

3. Systems of communication for deaf people Depending on the home environment, deaf people should learn one type of system or another. These systems are classified into three groups:

3.1 How many systems are there? There are three systems of communication for deaf people: Oral systems Complementary systems of oral communication Sign language

3.2 Oral systems  They take advantage of the minimal auditory capacity of some deaf people.  There are two systems of this type: Lip-reading Verb-tonal system

3.4 Complementary systems of oral communication  They reduce communicative problems and promote the access to the oral language.  Among these systems we can distinguish two types:  Bimodal communication  Cued speech

3.5 Sign languages  It is the deaf language par excellence.  It has its own structure with five essential factors:  Hand shape  Location  Movement  Orientation  Facial expression

4. Phonological Features Configuration Orientation of the Hand Place of Articulation

Phonological Features Movement Contact Point Plain Non-manual Components

Phonological Features Common parameters to analize: -phonology of spoken languages -phonology of sign languages

Phonological Features Current Mechanism Sonority Coarticulation Manner of Articulation

4.SIGN LANGUAGES MISUNDERSTANDINGS

Sign Languages Misunderstandings I  Is there one universal sign language used by all deaf people?

Sign Languages Misunderstandings II  Have sign languages been consciously designed by people?

Sign Languages Misunderstandings III  Are sign languages based on spoken languages?

Sign Languages Misunderstandings IV  Are sign languages a form of gesturing?

Sign Languages Misunderstandings V  Are sign languages primitive languages?

Sign Languages Misunderstandings VI  Are sign languages a form of pantomime?

5. Conclusion -Natural language -Widely used and actively developped -More investigation is needed We hope you have enjoyed!