Ultimate Skill and ASL

[dbsousa]

Here's an excerpt from The Ultimate Skill, a work in progress:

 

Quote:

Humans have invented many different ways to communicate other than speaking and writing. Some of these include Braille (which allows blind people to read), various forms of sign language (which allow deaf people to “talkâ€), semaphore, and Morse Code (for use with telegraphs).

 

Characters who want to know one of these “languages†simply have to pay 1 Character Point for an appropriate form of Literacy (such as Literacy (Braille) or Literacy (American Sign Language)). They can then use that Literacy with any Languages they know that use the same alphabet for which he learned the Literacy. For example, suppose a character has English as his native Language, and can also speak French and Finnish. He learns American Sign Language, which uses the Latin alphabet. He can use ASL to “sign†words in any of his three Languages, since they all use the Latin alphabet. But he couldn’t use ASL to sign words in Russian or Greek, even if he knew them, because they use different alphabets (he might be able to use ASL to sign Russian or Greek words phonetically, however). But he could spend another point to learn a form of sign language compatible with Russian and its Cyrillic alphabet, if he wanted to.

 

Some sign languages, such as the one used by the Plains Indians in the nineteenth century, don’t work like this — they’re actual gesture-based languages used as a form of communication by two people who don’t share a common spoken language. These sign languages are bought as normal Languages, not as a form of Literacy. [/Quote]

 

I don't know if there are any native ASL speakers on this board, but I suspect some may disagree with the idea that ASL is a one point literacy. In fact, I would argue just the opposite: that ASL is a full language except for literacy. The grammar is different from English, there are regional "dialects" and slang that don't translate literally into English, and native speakers speak it differently from hearing slobs like myself. The only reason my college did not allow me to fill a language requirement with it is that there is no written component.

 

I don't think the fate of the game rests on the cost of ASL, but I do recognize that the deaf community considers itself just that, a community that extends far beyond a shared affliction, and that for some, their language is a source of pride and honor.

[G.W.Lerose]

Re: Ultimate Skill and ASL

 

Not to mention the fact that ASL is not compatable with French and German like that write up implies. Sign language is far more than just spelling out letters, and ESL even uses different signs for that.

[caris]

Re: Ultimate Skill and ASL

 

I just read that Q&A, and I had the exact same thought you had. I think Steve was just trying to simplify things, rather than messing things up. ASL does have an alphabetic component, and it is often the first thing someone is exposed to of ASL (at least in my case). It sometimes isn't until later that you realize that the vast majority of it is single gestures replacing entire words and phrases.

[CourtFool]

Re: Ultimate Skill and ASL

 

I would like to point out that Mr. Long needs to stop teasing us with excerpts and finish this book.

[lazarus]

Re: Ultimate Skill and ASL

 

I would like to point out that Mr. Long needs to stop teasing us with excerpts and finish this book.

woah, there ... we want 5ER first. Then TUS.

[BobGreenwade]

Re: Ultimate Skill and ASL

 

As much as "Me Too!" posts are looked down upon in any online forum, I can echo the statements and sentiments of all five of the previous posts (this assumes someone else doesn't post while I'm writing).

 

In particular, ASL should indeed be treated as a distinct language whose "literacy" (signed letters) is closely related to the Roman alphabet. Other nations have their own distinct signed languages which are similarly no more like their spoken counterparts than ASL is like English.

 

OTOH Steve's original statement might still hold true for something like Literacy (Signed English).