I’m doing research and a simple Google search about the book brought me here. I’m so excited to learn more about BASL. I’ve only begin learning the basics of ASL so I’m proud (and not surprised) to find that black deaf people had their own sign language for communication.
I remember a brief discussion of ASL years ago during an introductory seminar on ASL. I am ignorant on how significant it is. On the other hand I've only seen one Black deaf person in my area. Languages are critically important to protect. Specific knowledge can not be simply translated into all languages so when a language is lost so are achievements that contribute to human survival and quality of life. I'm glad to see Black ASL get support to aid its survival and its potential benefit to mankind.
Great video. I plan on ordering the book. I'm disabled veteran in Atlanta Georgia. I recently lost my hearing and havent learned sign language yet. I would love to connect with others like me around the area but with pandemic it makes this a little harder. It would be a blessing if I could get some connections around Atlanta with learning and making new friends in the BASL community. Would appreciate the responses. THANKS.
Hi! This might be an ignorant question but i am generally curious and want to know. How would a black deaf person feel about a white deaf person using some black asl?
Preface: I have 0 authority on the matter, but this is how I think about it. Black ASL is very much tied to Deaf African American culture. The language is reflective of the culture, as all languages are. If you're not a member of that culture it doesn't make a lot of sense why you would want or need to use the dialect. There's no need for me to speak Spanish at a restaurant where no one else speaks Spanish and I am not a member of a Spanish speaking community. That said, if you interact frequently with the Black ASL community and your ability to communicate with them is hindered because you don't recognize Black ASL and can't produce Black ASL signs, then I imagine it would be acceptable to use it, thought I am not positive. This is likely dependent on a few factors such as how/in what role are you interacting with the community and if you're able to communicate with them easily by using mainstream ASL and simply being able to perceive and understand Black ASL signing. Overall, it is likely a complicated, nuanced issue that is based in the question of your own culture and your interaction with the Black ASL community. If the people in the community that you often interact with accept you using it, or even encourage you to use it, then do so. Language is highly community based with no true right or wrong. What is acceptable in one community might not be so in another. It is the job of non-native language learners to be aware of that and be able to adapt to community expectations based on where we are. The basic function of language is to be able to communicate effectively and consistently with another person/community of people. Following language rules doesn't matter if no one around you can understand you. So be aware of the community expectations around you and be willing to adapt as the community does, or as you move between communities.
That is not ignorant. It is a great question. It is okay to be used but I just witnessed a discussion which I was involved with. I am currently taking a Linguistics class at Gallaudet University. It is inappropriate for people of other races to call BASL their own or claim to be fluent in it.
Brittney Lipson Thank you for responding! I just imagine if someone is in a relationship with a deaf black person then they would want to learn black asl for them ya know
Brittney Lipson Is it though? Let’s say a white deaf kid was raised by black deaf parents. Isn’t Black ASL his/her language? And I’m pretty sure that kid would be fluent in Black ASL. You shouldn’t generalise white deaf people like that.
Another way to look at it, imo, is the real learning begins when you get involved with the community. So keep studying at school for basics, then seek out local community. You'll pick it up naturally!
I am sorry you had that experience! However, after reading your comment I went back and watched the entire video a second time. I cannot see anywhere that the message was conveyed incorrectly (and the fact this is a published video also would support that they made sure it was accurate before posting ...). Where do you think there were inaccuracies?
@@4adinak Growing up talking and interacting with deaf as like you if you were to have dinner with a bunch of friends, you come to a place where their signing and emotions come as clear to you as the scenario I just described. The over all message was understood and right but word for word no. That what I was saying. So many times I sat in class and the interpreter said something that I signed but I had to stop them and say “no I didn’t say that “. Guessing they forgot that I could still hear. The general message was right. But if you are going to speak for me, I need words to be right as well along with the message.
@@DjBrownSugarV Absolutely 100%. It is a very really issue. I am asking where you think that happened in THIS video? I am fairly certain the script was written and recited and was not a simultaneous interpretation - that might be why it seems "off" when watching.
@@4adinak And, as the one Interpreter described...there is not a one to one translation. ie this word means that sign and vice versa. What we do is Interpret, not translate. There is always more than one way to say the same thing. So, because there isn't a one to one correlation, if someone doesn't have many mouth movements or signing in English word order (which is not ASL by the way) then the Interpreter expresses what it means, yes, but their word choices might be slightly different than someone elses. If that makes sense.
@@dod2304 You must be replying to the wrong person. I am an interpreter, and if you read my comments that is what I said (and also that it was likely scripted).
I’m doing research and a simple Google search about the book brought me here. I’m so excited to learn more about BASL. I’ve only begin learning the basics of ASL so I’m proud (and not surprised) to find that black deaf people had their own sign language for communication.
I remember a brief discussion of ASL years ago during an introductory seminar on ASL. I am ignorant on how significant it is. On the other hand I've only seen one Black deaf person in my area. Languages are critically important to protect. Specific knowledge can not be simply translated into all languages so when a language is lost so are achievements that contribute to human survival and quality of life. I'm glad to see Black ASL get support to aid its survival and its potential benefit to mankind.
I have no idea how I got to this video, but it was absolutely fascinating!
Me either
Great video. I plan on ordering the book. I'm disabled veteran in Atlanta Georgia. I recently lost my hearing and havent learned sign language yet. I would love to connect with others like me around the area but with pandemic it makes this a little harder. It would be a blessing if I could get some connections around Atlanta with learning and making new friends in the BASL community. Would appreciate the responses. THANKS.
Hi brother, vet here, have you found any contacts to learn BASL with in Atlanta? I am hearing and learning BASL and ASL as a hobby.
@@mariahworkman4129 no I haven't
Great. questions. Excited for the answers!
Are there any videos comparing the uses of ASL and BASL? That is, a video which shows two people signing the same thing in each dialect?
Interesting! I didn't see this video before. I only saw the book cover in David Player's WordPress articles.
Thanks for releasing this. My copy of the book didn't come with the DVD
Thank you for your comment. The DVD has been discontinued, and all of the video content is now available here on UA-cam.
The Friendzone podcast brought me here! 👌🏾
Hi! This might be an ignorant question but i am generally curious and want to know. How would a black deaf person feel about a white deaf person using some black asl?
or any other race using it?
Preface: I have 0 authority on the matter, but this is how I think about it.
Black ASL is very much tied to Deaf African American culture. The language is reflective of the culture, as all languages are. If you're not a member of that culture it doesn't make a lot of sense why you would want or need to use the dialect. There's no need for me to speak Spanish at a restaurant where no one else speaks Spanish and I am not a member of a Spanish speaking community. That said, if you interact frequently with the Black ASL community and your ability to communicate with them is hindered because you don't recognize Black ASL and can't produce Black ASL signs, then I imagine it would be acceptable to use it, thought I am not positive. This is likely dependent on a few factors such as how/in what role are you interacting with the community and if you're able to communicate with them easily by using mainstream ASL and simply being able to perceive and understand Black ASL signing.
Overall, it is likely a complicated, nuanced issue that is based in the question of your own culture and your interaction with the Black ASL community. If the people in the community that you often interact with accept you using it, or even encourage you to use it, then do so. Language is highly community based with no true right or wrong. What is acceptable in one community might not be so in another. It is the job of non-native language learners to be aware of that and be able to adapt to community expectations based on where we are. The basic function of language is to be able to communicate effectively and consistently with another person/community of people. Following language rules doesn't matter if no one around you can understand you. So be aware of the community expectations around you and be willing to adapt as the community does, or as you move between communities.
That is not ignorant. It is a great question. It is okay to be used but I just witnessed a discussion which I was involved with. I am currently taking a Linguistics class at Gallaudet University. It is inappropriate for people of other races to call BASL their own or claim to be fluent in it.
Brittney Lipson Thank you for responding! I just imagine if someone is in a relationship with a deaf black person then they would want to learn black asl for them ya know
Brittney Lipson Is it though? Let’s say a white deaf kid was raised by black deaf parents. Isn’t Black ASL his/her language? And I’m pretty sure that kid would be fluent in Black ASL.
You shouldn’t generalise white deaf people like that.
Im a bit confused as I’m a black girl and I am learning ASL so I’ll more than likely learn the “white way” I suppose since all my teachers are white 🤪
You would be correct. I’m in the same boat 🥹
Another way to look at it, imo, is the real learning begins when you get involved with the community. So keep studying at school for basics, then seek out local community. You'll pick it up naturally!
what is the correct and respectful term to use in sign language to describe a Afro American person please?
It’s the sign for the color black which is the index finger (of your dominant hand) across the forehead
@@missshaunab9225 I've also seen people use a "B" handshape to make the sign for "black". So as to distinguish a Black person from the color black.
@@dod2304 that sign is only used by the Black Deaf community. Non-Black signers just sign “black” with an index finger.
If you are black as in the culture/history, then it’s used with the “b” handshape, for everyone else it’s the index finger
That’s not what I’ve been taught. But maybe it depends on where you’re learning.
Thanks for sharing 🤘🏾
Interesting video.
I'm curious if there are differences between other racial communities too. 🤔
~:~
Good video but what I hate is that the voice over does not exactly says what she is saying. I lived through it in h.s.
I am sorry you had that experience! However, after reading your comment I went back and watched the entire video a second time. I cannot see anywhere that the message was conveyed incorrectly (and the fact this is a published video also would support that they made sure it was accurate before posting ...). Where do you think there were inaccuracies?
@@4adinak Growing up talking and interacting with deaf as like you if you were to have dinner with a bunch of friends, you come to a place where their signing and emotions come as clear to you as the scenario I just described. The over all message was understood and right but word for word no. That what I was saying. So many times I sat in class and the interpreter said something that I signed but I had to stop them and say “no I didn’t say that “. Guessing they forgot that I could still hear. The general message was right. But if you are going to speak for me, I need words to be right as well along with the message.
@@DjBrownSugarV Absolutely 100%. It is a very really issue. I am asking where you think that happened in THIS video? I am fairly certain the script was written and recited and was not a simultaneous interpretation - that might be why it seems "off" when watching.
@@4adinak And, as the one Interpreter described...there is not a one to one translation. ie this word means that sign and vice versa. What we do is Interpret, not translate. There is always more than one way to say the same thing. So, because there isn't a one to one correlation, if someone doesn't have many mouth movements or signing in English word order (which is not ASL by the way) then the Interpreter expresses what it means, yes, but their word choices might be slightly different than someone elses. If that makes sense.
@@dod2304 You must be replying to the wrong person. I am an interpreter, and if you read my comments that is what I said (and also that it was likely scripted).
When you come to speak to white deaf people, how do you manage?