Language Contact

30 x 40 inches
Oil on canvas
October 2011
SOLD

Description:
This painting is inspired by the concept of language contact as discussed by Ceil Lucas and Clayton Valli in Linguistics of American Sign Language: An Introduction (1992). Language contact occurs when American Sign Language (ASL) and English come into contact, resulting in signing that may incorporate features of both languages. This natural interaction has been studied extensively by Deaf scholars and linguists.

Displayed across the table are numerous communication systems, educational philosophies, and methods that have influenced Deaf education and communication over the years. While many of these are often associated with language contact, they are communication tools or instructional systems rather than independent languages.

The terms represented include:

• PSE (Pidgin Signed English)
• SEE (Signed Exact English)
• SEE II
• MCE (Manually Coded English)
• SSS (Sign Supported Speech)
• Rochester Method (fingerspelling)
• Signed English (SE)
• CASE (Conceptually Accurate Signed English)
• Sim-Com (Simultaneous Communication)
• Speechreading (Lipreading)
• MLS (Minimal Language Skills)
• LSL (Listening and Spoken Language)
• AMESLAN
• Bi-Bi (Bilingual-Bicultural Education)
• Cued Speech

By bringing these systems together in a single composition, the painting invites viewers to consider the complex relationship between ASL, English, and the many educational and communication approaches that have shaped Deaf experiences. It reflects the ongoing dialogue surrounding language, identity, accessibility, and the preservation of ASL as a complete and natural language.