The Grammar Genie says hello!

[NH Baritone]

Thanks, NHB, I appreciate it. I think a bi-lingual background helped me. I found this link the other week and it didn't surprise me at all; from Gallaudet, no less:

http://www.gallaudet.edu/x48966.xml

Good article. I think I told you that I took ASL at Gallaudet.

I have heard some anecdotes recently of hearing children whose speech development is delayed. They become frustrated when unable to express their wishes. When they were taught some ASL, even though their physical speech was absent, they could ask for what they wanted in sign language. Their temperaments improved, and the entire family's life became more peaceful and productive.

These are anecdotes that suggest further studies. Perhaps the use of sign language could enhance language development in all children, regardless of whether hearing is present.

(Edited to repair a typo.)

[Tim-the-Hermit]

Absolutely, NHB, parents of hearing babies are already signing up for sign classes for this very reason, I believe. One example.

I think there has been some research in the US which backs up your last point, but I haven't been able to find details/links. Nevertheless, it makes a lot of sense the more I think about it.

[Rian]

Very interesting article, Tim! Thanks for sharing! I love how the internet gives us access to so many people and things.

I taught all 3 of my kids a small vocab of signing when they were babies. It was SO cool to see it click in their heads! It was especially useful for my middle child with the physical handicaps that couldn't reach things. One of the signs I had taught him for eating was "more". I can still picture the moment when he was lying on his back, unable to reach something he wanted, and all of a sudden this light came on in his eyes - he reached towards the toy he wanted, then signed "more"! Absolutely brilliant!

I used the "thank you" sign well into their teens - if they forgot to say "thank you" to someone, I would unobtrusively sign it to them from across the room and they'd remember Nagging by signing!

I'm glad the write-up helped - let me know if you have any suggestions. I've found that when I explain it that way, it seems to help.

[Tim-the-Hermit]

Very interesting article, Tim! Thanks for sharing! I love how the internet gives us access to so many people and things.

Me too, Rian.

I taught all 3 of my kids a small vocab of signing when they were babies. It was SO cool to see it click in their heads! It was especially useful for my middle child with the physical handicaps that couldn't reach things. One of the signs I had taught him for eating was "more". I can still picture the moment when he was lying on his back, unable to reach something he wanted, and all of a sudden this light came on in his eyes - he reached towards the toy he wanted, then signed "more"! Absolutely brilliant!

I'm impressed with you because it is still a relatively new thing. I can't think of any bad things about it - it's useful, it's fun, it helps with language development and the parents learn too. That's before I get into the benefits that are passed on to deaf people.

I used the "thank you" sign well into their teens - if they forgot to say "thank you" to someone, I would unobtrusively sign it to them from across the room and they'd remember Nagging by signing!

LOL!

I'm glad the write-up helped - let me know if you have any suggestions. I've found that when I explain it that way, it seems to help.

I will, thanks.

[Tim-the-Hermit]

Hi!

I’m hoping maybe Rian or somebody could help me out. I'm not always sure about when to use ‘have’ and ‘has’ (Deaf sign for ‘have,’ ‘had,’ ‘has’ all same) and ‘was’ and ‘were.’ Are there rules which could guide me? I think I get it right most of the time but occasionally there is a grey area.

Thanks, Tim.

[Rian]

I don't know who invented verb conjugation - there should just be a verb plus the subject!

Is it the present tense that you're not sure of, or one of the other tenses? Also, some of them can be used as "helper" verbs - maybe that's it - I'll try to give some examples.

For present, and for the basic use of "to have", it's:

I have a pony
you have a pony
he/she has a pony
we have a pony
they have a pony


For basic use of was and were (the past tense of "to be"), it's

I was a Democrat
you were a Democrat
he/she was a Democrat
we were Democrats
they were Democrats


Then you get into the helper/combination verb realm - things like

I have had a cold
I have been cold
I was able to warm up


I'll try to think of some others, but do you have some examples of general areas or phrases? That has to be hard - a lot of language is hearing.

[Tim-the-Hermit]

Thanks Rian. I was talking to somebody last night (on-line, so in written English) and said 'If I was Prime Minister I would do x.' That should be 'If I were Prime minister....' right? Sometimes it seems easy, but other times, hard. I guess I thought 'was' because I am referring to the present time? Aaaargh!

[Rian]

Oh, and past tense of "to have" is:

I had a pony yesterday
you had a pony yesterday
he/she had a pony yesterday
we had a pony yesterday
they had a pony yesterday



As I thought about it, both "to have" and "to be" forms can be helper verbs (they are paired with another verb) - plus they can be helper verbs together! (they are BOTH paired with the other verb).

So we can have:

I ran yesterday
I was running yesterday
I had been running yesterday

I ate yesterday
I had eaten yesterday
I had been eating yesterday

These just express finer shades of what happened.

[Rian]

Thanks Rian. I was talking to somebody last night (on-line, so in written English) and said 'If I was Prime Minister I would do x.' That should be 'If I were Prime minister....' right? Sometimes it seems easy, but other times, hard. I guess I thought 'was' because I am referring to the present time? Aaaargh!

That is a special case - the subjunctive. It's kind of archaic, but it's for expressing something that is basically impossible (when paired with "if"). "If I were King" is a classic example - it's impossible for most people! So yes, you should have used "were" for something like that, but I don't think a lot of people know that. I think many people think it's a mistake!

You do very well, btw - I don't think I've ever seen a grammatical error in your posts, and that is really great for someone who doesn't have the advantage of hearing as a learning mode of language.

[Tim-the-Hermit]

Thanks Rian! It was a similar sort of thing with 'have' and 'has' but I've forgotten the example. If it comes back to me, I'll return here and ask you. I think I'm lucky that at least I seem to be able to recognise that something doesn't seem right and so can look into it.

[Rian]

Yes, that's good!

I didn't know that about the deaf signs - are there verb conjugations in general, or tenses, or are they indicated in other ways?

[Tim-the-Hermit]

It's too hard for me to compare, Rian, it feels s bit like apples and bananas! I don't really know the rules of English grammar, I just read books and developed a feel for it. Basically in sign a lot of the small and 'in between' words are left out eg. 'are' and 'is,' and the grammar is like the order that things play out visually.

(edit: removed one post due to repetition and mistakes.)

[NH Baritone]

Yes, that's good!

I didn't know that about the deaf signs - are there verb conjugations in general, or tenses, or are they indicated in other ways?

I took a couple of semesters of ASL several years ago. While grammar in general is often important to ASL, several elements of grammar are irrelevant. Verb conjugations, beyond tense, is one of those irrelevancies.

Sign language is an interactional language, not a written one. And so the clarity of meaning can be developed in context and dialogue. With written language, you likely have no opportunity to ask questions of the writer, so we have to make things as clear as possible.

Thus we seek "grammar genies" out of the need to be write clear messages for folks whom you will never see. Sign language is, by nature, designed for communicating only with those in your line of sight.

[Rian]

Yes, that's good!

I didn't know that about the deaf signs - are there verb conjugations in general, or tenses, or are they indicated in other ways?

I took a couple of semesters of ASL several years ago. While grammar in general is often important to ASL, several elements of grammar are irrelevant. Verb conjugations, beyond tense, is one of those irrelevancies.

I like that particular way that language has evolved!

Sign language is an interactional language, not a written one. And so the clarity of meaning can be developed in context and dialogue. With written language, you likely have no opportunity to ask questions of the writer, so we have to make things as clear as possible.

Thus we seek "grammar genies" out of the need to be write clear messages for folks whom you will never see.

In addition to speaking with people that you do see; however, we tend to be more formal in writing.

Sign language is, by nature, designed for communicating only with those in your line of sight.

True - interesting concept - interesting to think which aspects of language were affected by this. My sister and bro-in-law have taken several years of ASL - I'll have to talk to them, too.

Anyway, I'm glad for writing so it's possible for me to talk with Tim without learning a language

[Tim-the-Hermit]

Help, please! 'Intention' and 'Intent,' I am not sure which word is right and when. Tim