Occasional Asl
Does ASL use honorifics? In general “no” however there are occasional exceptions. When introducing a presenter at a workshop or conference (and the person has a doctorate) it is fairly common to spell “DR” and the persons’ first and last name – often followed by showing the person’s name sign. Students can obtain a variety of degrees or certificates in American Sign Language (ASL) online, or they can simply take courses that enable them to.
In various issues, Graal published the occasional article about ASL and allegedly printed 7 different ASL scenarios in various issues. Six have been identified (help would be nice in finding the other). The scenarios identified to date have all been designed by Omar Jeddaoui, who did most of the ASL content that appeared in the magazine. Non-ASL Magazine with ASL Scenarios, Periodical. Country of Origin: Spain. Contents: Occasional ASL scenario. Commentary: Alea is a long-running (though irregularly published) wargaming magazine published by Ludopress in Barcelona, Spain.
Publisher/Date:
Ludopress (1988-2011)
Product Type:
Non-ASL Magazine with ASL Scenarios, Periodical
Country of Origin:
Spain
Contents:
Occasional ASL scenario
Alea is a long-running (though irregularly published) wargaming magazine published by Ludopress in Barcelona, Spain. Begun in 1988, it is similar in nature to the French wargaming magazine Vae Victis in that each issue of the magazine comes with a complete wargame included (although the counters are not mounted or die-cut, but have to be cut out by players).
From its inception, Alea has supported ASL with sporadic Spanish-language scenarios and materials. Although it provides English translations for its wargame rules, it unfortunately does not do the same for its ASL materials, making them somewhat inaccessible to most of the rest of the world. This has resulted in Alea not getting the credit it deserves in the ASL community for being the longest continual publisher of ASL-related materials.
As of 2014, however, Alea has not published an issue in several years and, though not yet officially defunct, one must consider it de facto-ly defunct. Alas.
| Issue | ASL Scenario or Campaign |
| #1 (Nov-Dec 1988) | ¡Berserk! (a Stalingrad scenario) |
| #8 (1990) | Los silos de Stalingrad – 1 (“The Silos of Stalingrad”). The “1” actually seems to be a scenario number and not otherwise part of the title. |
| #9 (1990) | Viertagi-2 (Eastern Front 1942). The “2” actually seems to be a scenario number and not part of “Viertagi.” |
| #11 (1991) | Kalach-3 (a scenario set in the Soviet Union, 1944). The “3” actually seems to be a scenario number and not part of “Kalach.” There is also an article about this scenario and the two preceding ones. |
| #17 (1993) | ¡Atrapadlo! (roughly, “Take Him!”, 1942 East Front partisan scenario set near Minsk) |
| #18 (1994) | Acero Contra Acero (“Steel against Steel,” a Kursk 1943 scenario) |
| #23 (1995) | ¡Nuts! Bastogne 1944 scenario. |
| #24 (1996) | Con ’91 Zaragoza Tournament scenarios. These 5 scenarios all take place in Stalingrad and use the Red Barricades HASL map. Includes tournament and campaign rules for the scenarios. Zona Mortal (“Death Zone”) |
| #25 (1996) | Alá Cobija a los Británicos (“Allah protects the British,” a Libya 1940 Italian vs. British scenario) |
| #29 (2004) | Spanish Civil War rules for ASL. This issue of Alea featured the third unofficial attempt to introduce rules for the Spanish Civil War into ASL (the first two were Le Franc Tireur #6 and Critical Hit’s Guerra Civil). It also included the first of a series of Spanish Civil War related scenarios for ASL. GCE1 Caza de Conejos (“Rabbit Hunt,” a 1937 Zaragoza scenario) |
| #30 (2005) | This issue included the second Spanish Civil War scenario, along with several unmounted AFV counters (for BT5 tanks). GCE2 Operación Moscú (“Operation Moscow,” a 1937 Zaragoza scenario). |
| #31 (2006) | This issue included the third Spanish Civil War scenario. It also included errata for scenario GCE2 (in Alea #30) and an unmounted Spanish commissar counter. GCE3 Cota 666 (“Hill 666,” a 1938 Tarragona scenario). It uses map HOBI from the Heat of Battle module “High Ground!” |
| #32 (September 2007) | 2GM-1 Apaches en Creta. Crete 1941, British (commandos) vs. Germans. |
| #33 (September 2009) | 2-GM-2 Hombres y Tanques. Soviet Union 1944, Soviets vs. Germans. |
| #34 (November 2011) | 2GM-3 Ispantsi Kaput! Soviet Union 1944, Soviets vs. Spanish. |
Bilingual-bimodal language acquisition in ASL and English has two different levels of bilingualism in family: one native ASL-speaking family who doesn't speak English at all but is fluent or also native in written English.
And the other type is a child (a.k.a. CODA or KODA) who grows up speaking both native ASL (or another language) and English (or another).
Psycholinguist Dr. Francois Grosjean explains that 'more than half of the world's population uses two or more languages (or dialects) in everyday life.'
Bilingualism or plurilingualism is no strange in our Deaf world. But, a signed language is usually our first language and modality.
Each culture in the eyeing world (which we sometimes fun-lovingly call it 'Eyeth' along with the hearing world on Earth) has its own language -- Auslan in Australia, Ameslan/ASL in Canada and the U.S., BSL in England, Japanslan in Japan, Polishlan in Poland, and so on. Right, sign language is not universal, no different from speech language.
Most of my relatives and family members who grow up in a signlan environment are bilingual (or multilingual to some degree). It is no doubt that my child will be another part of the generations of children who grow up bilingual -- more likely plurilingual.
Studies show that both sign language and speech language follow the same predetermined stages of language development from babbling to prelinguistic development to full-fledged language.
Studies also show that bilingualism has cognitive benefits, such as multitasking, wider perspectives, more creative thinking skills, better literacy skills, and more. These benefits occur in bilingualism in any two languages, including ASL and English.
A cognitive neuroscientist Ellen Bialystok explains that bilingualism is something one has to use both languages all the time. Occasional use of a second language doesn't make one bilingual.
Patricia Ryan: Don't insist on English!
The ability to communicate with everyone across cultures worldwide to share thoughts and different perspectives is a wonderful thing. 'Globalized' English may help break the barrier.
But, it's also a barrier. Globalization of one language is a disadvantage in that a thought in one language cannot see what another can see a perspective in its other language. Its scale can be anything from as simple as a daily family affair to a large scale like a scientific breakthrough.
If it weren't for Deaf scholars, contributors and people in general, thus without full-fledged development of sign language, the world would miss many significant scientific breakthroughs and answers to some linguistic theories, diversity, and perspectives.
How can we have access to communication and knowledge across cultures globally without losing any languages? A feasible solution is bilingualism and pluralingualism. It benefits both individuals and societies.
It is also true for signlan (modality) and its languages (ASL/Ameslan, Auslan, JSL/Japanslan, etc.). Signlan linguistics has helped break through some struggles in linguistic theories as well as it has provided many new perspectives about human language, cognition, and such.
It's a deadly mistake to practice linguistic eugenics on deaf babies by depriving them from a language that they can access to the fullest, using their healthy, normal eyes. Through eyes and hands, these babies can acquire language to the fullest on a normal timeline. Brain functions the very same in either signed or spoken language.
Today there are many excellent Deaf bilinguals along with hearing like-minded allies who have made significant contributions to the world in research and education. Their invaluable works help overcome phonocentric blindness.
Out of trillions over a lifetime, a lucky little X or a Y spermatozoan swam the fastest to the 'sun' of life (or ovum). The two fused into a whole singularity. Fertilized.
The mother underwent some moments of vomits.. fatigue.. a sonogram appointment.. glows.. unfit shoes.. another appointment for a diabete test after failing the first when vomitted.. being forgetful (like misplacing a key or breaking off a side mirror of the vehicle when driving backward through the garage door).. gaining bigger and bigger. Been there?Talking with baby-in-utero in sign language
Parents in our culture have their ways of communication with their babies-in-utero.
Some fathers, family members, and friends talk in sign language to babies-in-utero. It is simply a symbol and an expression of love and bond.
It's not that babies-in-utero cannot listen, but babies can sense rhythmical movements when their to-be-mothers talk in a signed language.
Of course, touch is also another form of loving communication with the babies-in-utero who might sense the loved ones' touches.
On the inside, the little beloved inside practiced moving hands -- reflexes, at least. She/he may sense light and darkness surrounding her/him through the tummy skin. The baby may sense vibrations (e.g. heartbeat, music) through his/her body.
Then the labor began.
Communicating during a labor
In the labor room at a hospital, a nurse who was assigned to me knew ASL. Her ASL skill was intermediate, but it was conversational-able. And, our conversations were basically smooth. She was with me till the delivery time. I loved this convenience of communication.
It's a girl! Or, a boy!
During the labor, I instructed the doctor and the nurses that I did not want them to proclaim, 'it's a boy! or a girl!' for three major reasons.
First, it's a cliche and I don't relate to this cultural custom. Second, I didn't want to find out through a third party. I'd rather be one of the first persons to know. Third and most of all, I wanted to see the baby for the first time for who s/he is without the label attached to him/her.
Many ASL parents also choose not to find out through a third party. What they did was to teach their doctor or whoever performed the delivery a couple of ASL words boy and girl.
That is, when the baby pops out, the doctor can proclaim in ASL for everyone to know firsthand.
Patricia Ryan: Don't insist on English!
Being able to communicate with everyone across cultures worldwide to share thoughts and different perspectives is a wonderful thing. 'Globalized' English may help break the barrier.
But, it's also a barrier. Globalization of one language is a disadvantage in that a thought in one language cannot see what another can see a perspective in its other language. Its scale can be from as simple as a daily family affair to a large scale like a scientific breakthrough.
How can we have access to communication across cultures globally without losing any languages? A feasible solution is bilingualism and pluralingualism. It benefits both individuals and societies.
Occasional Alcoholic
It is also true for signlan (modality) and its languages (ASL/Ameslan, Auslan, JSL/Japanslan, etc.). For example, signlan linguistics has helped break through some struggles in linguistic theories as well as it has provided many new perspectives about human language, cognition, etc.
There are many highly bilingual, well-educated Deaf people in both ASL and written English. They articulate both of these languages eloquently. Why? They have been exposed to both languages from birth, especially with first access to signlan.
Occasional Asthma
Today there are many excellent Deaf bilinguals along with hearing like-minded allies who have made significant contributions to the world in research and education. Their invaluable works help overcome phonocentric blindness.