Deaf Culture 3 cr. Course covers status of the deaf population as a linguistic and cultural minority group. Designed for individuals who may or may not have had prior experience with deaf people, course raises questions concerning the nature of sign language and its varieties, education of deaf people, historical treatment of deafness, sociological and cultural issues important to deaf individuals, and the nature of American Sign Language literature and poetry. Course focuses on linguistic structure of American Sign Language including phonology, morphology, syntax, and language in use. Structural aspects of both American Sign Language and English are compared and contrasted, providing students with valuable insight into both languages.
Course introduces students to the field of interpreting.
Focus on history of the interpreting field, growth of the profession, and current trends. Students begin study and analysis of the Code of Ethics. Basic interpreting techniques are introduced and practiced. Students translate discourse from English to American Sign Language and from American Sign Language to English. This includes analysis of the text, understanding language equivalence, restructuring the message, and judging appropriateness when translating.