Workshop

Some features in ASL reported as difficult for second language learners are tied to what has been referred to as role shifting, constructed action or constructed dialogue, classifiers, and the referential use of space. Following Dudis (2007), I refer to these features as depiction. In this workshop participants will be introduced to the concept of Depiction in ASL, with a focus on identifying depiction. In 160 minutes of data analyzed, there were over 3,200 instances of depiction of varying types (Thumann 2010). Working in small groups participants may focus on: identifying linguistic features of ASL specific to depiction; options for translating segments of ASL; or discussing ideas for incorporating depiction into their own language use. This workshop guides participants as they develop a better understanding of depiction and offers a framework for interpreters to analyze and understand ASL texts as well as to engage in discussions about the work.