American Sign Language & Plains Indian Sign Language (PISL)

[@goodluckgorsky3413]

PISL seems a lot more intuitive. Like I understand how the signs they’re making fit with the meanings. There’s even “compound words” like grandmother having the mother and elder signs with them

[@dod2304]

please understand this is just vocabulary. The grammar and syntax was not explained at all. I'm willing to bet it's similar to the grammar of ASL which is similar to the Romance languages. Simply stated, this is most sentence structure: "who" (you) "where" (library) "action/verb" (go ) . Showing it's a question is communicated with facial expression (facial grammar) and body language. (leaning forward or back etc). ASL seemed mostly intuitive to me when I first started studying it around 1980. However, it tended to be intuitive and depict objects that were of that time and place. For example; part of the ASL sign for girl is drawing the thumb down your cheek. Why? Because girls and women always wore bonnets or hats with ribbons tied under their chins. I'd always try to figure out the etymology of a Sign because it helped me remember it.😎

[@marshmallow7640]

@@dod2304I would probably default to sov order and question at least in my dialect of pisl is not indicated only by body language, there is a sign that denotes a question is being asked

[@AfroCloud9]

Let's not forget that Natives of all kinds used sign language thoroughly- And what does a woman and girl have to do with interpretation, I'm- my brain is lagging /genq

[@aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa790]

PISL resonates more with me. It looks more like what people see or know put into hands than ASL does.

[@BBarNavi]

Because it started as an auxiliary language for hearing people.

[@aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa790]

@@BBarNavi So you're saying that hearing people are more interested in having the hands resemble the concept?

[@BBarNavi]

@@aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa790 That's not what I said, but it does make sense on some level. The signs would've been paired with speech, and a common image would have to be agreed on by people across different tribes with different languages. Whereas Deaf SLs are generally already agreed upon within their communities, without need for outside input. Thus, more abstract signs can be used that have little to do with the concept but are known immediately by native signers.

[@aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa790]

@@BBarNavi Well, then what were you saying? So this time, you're saying that deaf signs are more private, and therefore they have less people arguing over "but it doesn't look like it!" Signs developed as trade languages by hearing people are more likely to need to meet the demands of multiple people from different places and generations, whereas a deaf community starts with a small group which enables them to say "no, we're not changing the sign for you if you disagree"? to new learners.

[@ZephirumUpload]

father and boy had me laughing

[@mazinbajalan4334]

Mother : boobie 😀

[@Growmetheus]

Honestly Grandmother looked jacked up.

[@TitansNews]

same, and mother had me laughing as well.

[@dod2304]

@@TitansNews me too, but at least it wasn't indicating Mom's genitals and the size thereof! LOL

[@bryanmacmurray3309]

I totally zoned out my boss on a zoom call to this. Very cool!

[@mariokanehisa]

I love see you with American Indian Signs signers. Maybe you can make a video with you and CJ Jones, Na'vi Sign Language creator, and Belter Sign Language in The Expanse series. I love sign "thank you" in Na'vi SL. Thank you for these beautiful ASL and American Indian SL videos. I'm listener but I love sign languages.

[@hervelakotasunka2625]

Very interesting ! Thank you for that precious sharing !

[@lauriehurst2022]

Thank you! If only American politicians were as open to each other as PISL! They could learn a lot from our tribes! And I wanted to mention that the first library book I ever borrowed was on PISL. Elementary school and I loved that book. And it began my fascination with linguistics and other cultures!

[@RimWulf]

Many of the deaf community can learn from like people can't make mistakes when learning ASL to reach out if they're hearing.

[@dod2304]

Linguistics and Geographical Linguistics are fascinating!!!

[@crustmuskandpixiedust]

I want to learn PISL. Please keep posting. I will share what I learn with others!

[@clawlor777]

Beautiful sign language 🤟

[@1archengdes111]

wonderful!

[@xPeachSweetTea]

It looks like for "how old are you" he signed "one winter" instead? I learned how old are you as "question winter you", hmm

[@chafbowen8734]

It's translates better to "how many winters have you seen?"

[@mkahp]

“how many winters are you”

[@bethannkeck4477]

Love it and very interesting to learning…love proud of Cherokee

[@ks-cf9mn]

Awesome video Plain Indian Sign Language..

[@Antiguan2222]

Until today i never knew native people had their own sign language but i'm not surprised at all haha soo cool

[@tyrozinehappykitchen]

Actually I think they were the ones that invented sign language in the first place. Some experts think it's been around for thousands of years

[@unamusementpark2629]

genetic deafness occurs at a much higher rate within most native communities, and native americans were often more tolerant of disabilities of any kind than many other cultures!

[@unamusementpark2629]

@Fuck Censorship lol my bad then

[@kayladunaway7101]

PISL and its major dialects where also used as bridge/trade languages throughout North America!

[@mr.b3168]

@@tyrozinehappykitchen Yeah. Used for trade amongst plain indians that lived far away

[@seantierney3]

how mutually comprehensible is PISL to ASL? I understand that their would be some cognates but I wonder how much overlap their is.

[@JonDoeNeace]

Technically, I was educated in this language before I ever went to school. Can't say I retained any of it. But the concept of speaking through body language rather than verbal speech still defines how well I do or don't relate to others in my environment.

[@alexeygrankin8203]

Amazing video and this PISL can be beautiful sign language. I really like that🤘. I possibly suggest Calvin to buy a book 📖 "Indian Sign Language " by William Tomkins (about all kinds of signs which Deaf Native Indians use them) as I have my good respect 🙏. Thanks

[@ElectricGreen.]

Great video!

[@Growmetheus]

This is so cool thank you

[@skanderman8769]

I notice that the guy doing American sign language is using his mouth and opening his lips a lot more than the Plains Indian sign language man

[@shoshonegirlful]

I had an ancestor visit me and they were showing the hand speak for your welcome but now that I'm in the waking world I can't remember what it looks like I'm trying to find it

[@shandondelver8407]

this is so great!

[@sonjastaes772]

this is great thank you

[@tz7813]

As a person with zero experience in this, why do I find it easier to understand the guy on the left?

[@peterjd.w794]

I love Plains Indian sign language communication be friendly kindly.

[@travisallicott9562]

I wish meet him Indian how learn language someday

[@Cybernaut551]

I value sign languages, thank ypu!

[@davideaston3005]

What is the initial sign in grandmother/grandfather? For grandfather there's the initial sign, then man + elder, for grandmother there's initial sign + girl + mother + elder. Is that initial sign denoting family unit?

[@CamrinTheWise]

what is the PISL communities thoughts on non native people learning the language? I find myself very interested in it (i’m 100% a white american). Would someone like myself be able to learn as long as i am respectful about it? or would me learning be some form of appropriation?

[@daxroth5633]

im really curious about this too as im taking an asl class. it kinda sucks to try and find actual good information on whether or not things are appropriation when you live in this just amazing country (dripping with sarcasm). good luck to you my fellow linguistic friend

[@dod2304]

I think that this video shows that at least one Indigenous person is quite open to sharing his Sign Language. 🤔He almost certainly wouldn't 't have participated if many people and/or respected elders of his tribe were opposed. Of course, he has a slightly different perspective. I believe he is Deaf himself, so that perspective is that it's important for people who interact with Deaf Plains Native Americans to understand these variations that may be used by otherwise Deaf/Hard of Hearing ASL users. For example Teachers, Social Workers etc who may work with Deaf Nat. America people in this area. Interpreters as well. As far as what is the view of PISL communities? Like all questions of this kind, one or two or a few people can't and don't speak for every single member of their culture. POV's may vary depending on age and where they live. You just have to be cautious and respectful when you use a different cultures' language or talk about their dress or ceremonies/beliefs etc. Any where or ANY culture. Ask first, or if you can't ask, add an explanation of who taught you or explained XYZ and it was acceptable to them, but you recognize it may not be to others. And, if that's the case, express your regret at the offense and be clear that wasn't your intent. Long winded explanation of really what should be the way we interact with anyone who is a different culture than we are. Simple respect. Which includes really hearing if someone says they're uncomfortable and ACCEPTING their right to have that response. We'd expect no less from other people interacting with us. But, hopefully. have fun!

[@rohypnol1613]

thanks!!

[@adriannebartolome1924]

My family’s full Indians a lot. I want learn more skill but I know some not much. …

[@PhilipDenys]

yup father and son have diffrent sizes pen... hahaha

[@nomadnametab]

i gather that much of ASL came from the native sign language :)

[@rosecovell930]

Not really, most of it came from French Sign Language and Martha's Vineyard's Sign language. Much of PISL has been reduced because their children had been taken away to institutions and taught American Sign Language instead. Seems like it happens with deaf people too.

[@MrSockez]

Well yes and no, a lot of the more simple words are the same in PISL as they are in ASL like moon, love, snow, etc. however on average it uses derivatives of other types of sign languages more often than PISL because PISL doesn't use an actual alphabet in its language.

[@dod2304]

@@MrSockez "real" grassroots ASL doesn't use initialized signs. Meaning signs that incorporate a letter. That's "Signed English" which is NOT ASL and was invented by Hearing Educators to attempt to teach Deaf/Hard of Hearing children English.

[@chickenelafsworld7105]

It’s more than PISL was one of many influences on ASL’s development. As other comments have stated, French Sign Language and Martha’s Vineyard Sign were the biggest influences, however a common belief among researchers is that the indigenous deaf community also helped develop and influence ASL. Other theories think that, due to the early documentation of Europeans going to the Americas and learning dialects of PISL, it may be a more indirect influence of PISL on Europeans who took it over, some got incorporated into local dialects, and eventually it came full circle back to North America. Either way it has a more distant relation to ASL than other languages, including structural differences, such as not using a finger spelling alphabet as a basis. There may also be some cross contamination the other way, since many deaf natives don’t have access to education in native sign languages and instead grow up on ASL. However we still do have documentation of PISL prior to and early in the era of residential schools with similar signs, so it seems there still is some connection other than native kids learning ASL in school.

[@ciaragarrity6425]

I understand the PISL language, I cannot understand ASL.

[@kyleouten1473]

Damn the guy on the left talking in sign guy on right throwing his set up lol

[@tesselaynes5428]

So they lied when they said Helen Keller and co invented sign language.

[@edwizard62]

Horse in Plains is easier to understand.

[@dod2304]

In ASL that's the sign for "horse back riding".

[@ಕೃಷ್ಣಾಭಾಗವತ]

Took me a while to realise this is not INDIA from South East Asia.

[@dod2304]

Really? Huh... I think the "Plains Indian" in the title then immediately showing signs for the names of different tribes gave it away for me. You must've been multitasking or else I'm sure you would've caught that as well.👍🤔😉😎

[@queensabina9983]

I am glad sign language exist for those who cannot hear. Thanks for the video🎉❤

[@pongop]

Amazing video!