A new ASL word, "United States."

Captions available.

Derogatory comments will be deleted at my discretion.

*****
Translation with Image Description:

[ASLspark title introduction - a fire is lit and ASLspark written ASL fire logo appears. Footage of the United States from space, superimposed by written ASL "United States" and English "A New United States."]

Hello, I'm Adrean Clark. Welcome to ASLspark!

For a while I've been thinking about the ASL word, "America." It's interesting.

We're aware that the ASL Deaf community has a culture and a language. The connection between the two is powerful. When new words bubble up from community discussion, those words reflect the thoughts, values, instincts, and other aspects of the community.

So, what does "America" signify? Lands claimed during the founding of the colonies had their trees cut down to build log cabins. The interlocking logs became the ASL word.

I also looked at an old ASL dictionary. [Image of J. Schuyler Long’s book “The Sign Language: A Manual of Signs” with photograph of frowning white male speaking “America” and English text highlighting “like a rail on a fence.”] The entry said to place hands "like a rail on a fence," interweaving the fingers before moving the hands in a circular motion. This is disturbing.

After some contemplation, I bring forth a new word for community consideration. [Left hand index finger “1.” Right hand “4” handshape moves in a wave path across the index finger from left to far right. United States.]

There are three reasons for my choice.

First, the ASL word "immigrant/immigration." Many peoples have converged onto the lands here since time immemorial. Think way back to when Pangaea divided; the earth shifting. Landmasses collided. A bridge rose for people to travel to North America. Migrants passed through.

[Images of Pangaea dividing into the contents, then the Bering land bridge. Footage of the United States from space, bright evening city lights streaking across a dark country.]

The United States was founded with a steady stream of immigrants. My ancestors were immigrants. Your ancestors were immigrants. Perhaps even you, by being in the U. S. today, are an immigrant.

Second, the left-hand index finger. A flag is usually placed where a country's lands are established. The index finger signifies the flagpole. It proclaims that a nation exists in a particular place.

Third, the "four" handshape. What is the reasoning for this handshape? [Image of U. S. flag.] Take a look at the current U.S. flag. It contains a square field of stars, and an alternating stratum of stripes.

The stars are 50 in number. There are 13 stripes. Why is this so? They represent the current 50 states and the original 13 colonies. The reasoning for those numbers is flawed.

The U. S. has territories beyond the states: Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. Those territories are very much a part of our country. They ought not to be ignored. The District of Columbia especially desires full representation. They shouldn't be cast aside as well.

Visualize a compass. The four cardinal directions appear on its face. Alaska is the North border of the United States, Hawaii in the West, Maine in the East, and Puerto Rico [Virgin Islands] on the South borders. They are all lands governed within our country.

Those are the three reasonings for my proposed ASL word, "United States."

Now, with all sensitivity, it is crucial to recognize the violent past and present of the United States. Repercussions continue today.

My feeling is that the process of proposing a new word encourages change. I look forward to our ASL communities thinking over, discussing, and allowing new words to come up that may be a better reflection. Or perhaps those new words will have a special ownership within their birth communities. Who knows what will happen?

It is essential to contemplate our community values in order to reveal them through linguistic expression.

What are your thoughts?

*****
Facebook link:
Link

*****
Credits/References:
All images in public domain via Wikimedia Commons except stated below or created by Adrean Clark.
Beringia: Link
Dictionary Images: Long, J. Schuyler. The Sign Language: a Manual of Signs, Being a Descriptive Vocabulary of Signs Used, by the Deaf of the United States and Canada. Athens Press, 1949.
United States from Space footage: NASA Link
Pangaea animation: USGS animation - Public Domain, Link

*****
Want more videos? Please support my artwork at:

Link

*****
Curious about written ASL?

Link

*****
Keep in touch!

WEBSITE: Link
TWITTER: Link
FACEBOOK: Link
INSTAGRAM: Link

One Video Comment

↓
   Reply to ASLspark
Tip: pressing the SHIFT key on your keyboard does the same thing as clicking this button
1. 

   1

   CoolPJR Reply

   7 years ago

   ReplyTo:   ASLspark
   Title:   Question for you ?