Tara M. Holloway, M.A., NIC

September 26, 2015

MSEA Innovation Grant Kickoff

TEEN SLANG

SPECIAL THANKS TO

• John H. Jones IV

• Sign Language Education graduate student at Gallaudet

ABOUT ME

EVER FEEL LIKE THIS?

Click Here for Original Link

THE URBAN DICTIONARY ON SLANG

• the only reason Urbandictionary.com exists

• The ever-evolving bastardization of the written and spoken

language as a result of social and cultural idolization of

uneducated, unintelligible [sic] celebrities.

• slang is the continual and ever-changing use and definition of

words in informal conversation, often using references as a means

of comparison or showing likeness.

• the use of and constant flux in slang is the only exciting thing

happening in language, making present day especially interesting

with the wealth of new words and definitions appearing seemingly

everywhere.

COMMON TYPES OF SLANG IN ASL

• Signs created by Deaf/deaf students separate from English

slang

• Signs used/modified to match English slang

• Initialized signs used to match English slang

• Language model

• English & ASL

• Reinforce educational

goals and objectives

• Can become very familiar with student discourse and word choice

• Can be very familiar with student background knowledge & experiences

MAINSTREAM INTERPRETING

Advantages Responsibilities

THE IMPORTANCE OF FINGERSPELLING FOR

READING FROM VL2

Key Findings on the Importance of Fingerspelling for Reading:

• Deaf families fingerspell to their deaf children when they are very young.

• Early exposure to fingerspelling helps these children become better readers

• Fingerspelling, reading, and writing are interrelated.

• Fingerspelling facilitates English vocabulary growth, and larger the lexicon, the faster new vocabulary is learned.

• Fingerspelling positively correlates with stronger reading skills. Deaf and hard of hearing children who are good fingerspellersare good readers, and vice versa.

Link to Original Article

THE IMPORTANCE OF FINGERSPELLING FOR

READING FROM VL2

Fingerspelling and Classroom Instruction:

Native ASL signers use fingerspelling for 10-15% of their signed

discourse, depending on the topic.8 In addition, deaf teachers use

over 50% more fingerspelled words than hearing teachers during

classroom instruction.9 Padden found that hearing L2 learners of

ASL, including classroom teachers, tended to use neutral

fingerspelling almost exclusively; as a result, children in these

settings often miss the advantages of more advanced forms of

fingerspelling.4

Link to Original Article

TYPES OF FINGERSPELLING –VL2

• Neutral fingerspelling – proper nouns

• Lexicalized Fingerspelling - #JOB, #BUS

• Initialized Signs – University, Group, etc…

• Signed-fingerspelled Compounds – BLACK M-A-I-L, TALK B-A-C-K, HANG O-U-T

• Abbreviations – REF, APT, OMG, LOL

Link to Original Article

• CHILL

• BAD

• COOL

• VEE

• VERY INTERESTING

• OOPS/EMBARRASSED

• ANNOYED

• SPEECHLESS

• SCREWED

• PAY THE BILLS

• I GOT YOU

• NOT ME

• I DIDN’T SAY ANYTHING

• CRUSHED

• EXPERT/AMAZING AT

• CRAZY ABOUT

• FOND OF

• BEAT

• CUT IT OUT

ASL ENGLISH SIGNS USED IN THE FREDERICK

COMMUNITY

WORD OF CAUTION

Internet slang meets American Sign Language

• AFTER THE SHOOT, we realized that the conversation was only beginning.

When Douglas showed his sign for “photobomb” to his peers in the Deaf

community, a discussion ensued and his sign was not accepted. He wrote

me the following week to explain.

Link to Original Text

TIPS

• Listen to students & mimic their word choice

• Make it sound/look natural, don’t follow sign by sign or word by

word (finish, get out of here)

• Get the whole message first, then voice/sign

• Use context clues

• Watch body language & facial expressions

REGISTER

• Level of formality used in discourse

Talking to

a teacher

Talking to

a parent

Talking to

a friend

More

formalLess

formal

Original Video Link

GRAB BAG

SAMPLES

• I’d freak the fuck out

• He’s gonna go all Jersey Shore on her

• That was epic

• Bye Felicia

• Ratchet

• Totes

ROLE PLAY

MSD’S ORIOLE NEWS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4C_0RzUJofg 2:55

7:14

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ou7Qg1-O5-

g&list=FLZxtbs4rUJtVrg_CuymU__A

3:53

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ce_Z8vet400 Beginning two

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75PhwbGkxEc

EXPANSION

Link to Original Video

VIDEOS TO CHECK OUT

REFERENCES

• Visual Language and Visual Learning Science of Learning Center. (2010, July). The

Importance of Fingerspelling for Reading. (Research Brief No. 1). Washington, DC:

Sharon Baker.

• Urban Dictionary. (n.d.). Retrieved September 26, 2015.

• Internet slang meets American Sign Language. (2015, February 23). Retrieved September

26, 2015.