CH 11

Chapter 11 discusses how there are new signs for ethnicity’s such as Chinese, Japanese, and Korean that are nonracist. The three “old” signs for the ethnicities involve slanting eyes, which are offensive. The old sign for Africa American/Black is a sign referring to a “Negroid” nose. The old sign for Jewish is “beard-on-chin). Female Jews take the sign offensive, and some African American people considered the old sign offensive as well. Jewish people made up a new sign in which it symbolizes the scrolling of the Torah. The new sign for Japan is the shape of the island. The new sign for Chinese is the side fastened jacket. Sings such as gossip and gabby are made in the “female zone”, while sign like smart, intelligent, and think are made in the “male zone.” The sign for a gay guy is made near the “female zone” and the sign for lesbian is made near the “male zone.” Simple signs such as brilliant, gossip, gay, and smart could all be considered offensive because of the location where they are signed.

               ASL is not much different to English when it comes to offensive language. The English language is full of offensive words, especially toward different ethnicity. For example when someone calls a Caucasian person a “cracker,” some might find that offense. If someone were to call an African American a “nigga” that too could be taken offensive. When describing a Hispanic person one automatically associates them with something negative. When we speak about cleaning, raising children, sewing, or thing to that extent there is feminine tone and vibe about those words. Farming, construction, and words to that extent have a masculine tone about them. In all languages there can be offensive terms.

               Older people whether they are African American, Polish, Japanese, Jewish, Chinese, and etc. they still use the old signs. Older people in general are not a fan of change and they stick to what they are familiar with and know (most people are like that). The old signs to people who grew up using them, they are easier to remember, convenient for that person, and quicker. As time goes on the new signs will become known as the old. The same can go for the English language. "Sign language is not impervious to change. It can grow; it can adapt to modern needs" (95). Words and terms that use to be common have been replaced. ASL can change and is becoming larger, and same goes for most other languages.

Works Cited

Morre, S. Matthew, and Linda Levitan. For Hearing People Only. 3rd Ed. Rochester, New York: MSM Productions, Ltd.,2003.Print.