1. Hopefully you have gained some insight into how spoken languages (such as English) and visual languages (such as ASL) use various grammatical elements and tools to convey meaning. Briefly
compare and contrast ASL and English, highlighting key elements such as verb tenses, sentence
order, structural patterns, or other elements you have learned so far.
2. As you might remember, American communities are generally low context cultures while Deaf
communities are high context. This means that low context and high context 'values' are often
reflected in the English language and ASL respectively. Analyze how a culture can impact a
language. In some instances, this influence may also be reflected in the language structure,
patterns and vocabulary. Cite appropriate examples to illustrate how, because of this influence,
one tends to speak their second language using the structural patterns, grammar (and accent!).
and skills that they know from their native language,
3. Deaf people have often been somehow marginalized by a hearing society that either patronized
or neglected them. However, this started to change as Deaf people began to gather, unify,
interact and learn ASL in the early 1800s. How did the introduction of a unified sign language in
North America impact Deaf people in the region?