A Dictionary of American Sign Language on Linguistic Principles
A Dictionary of American Sign Language on Linguistic Principles (DASL) is the first American Sign language (ASL) dictionary written by William C. Stokoe, Dorothy C. Casterline, and Carl G. Croneberg. It was first published in 1965 by the Gallaudet College Press.[1] The dictionary introduces a new notation system, Stokoe notation, to represent ASL signs independently from English translation.[2]
Stokoe notation
[edit]Stokoe notation utilizes the three distinctive features of a sign to represent the written form; location (tabulation; TAB; "T"), handshape (designation; DEZ; "D"), and movement (signation; SIG; "s").[3][1] The formula for writing a sign is tab-dez-sig or TDs.[1] If a sign contains a sig action that occurs subsequently of another, it can be written as TDss. For a sign that contains a combination of sig actions that occur simultaneously, the formula TDs/s would apply. The structure of TDDs is utilized when both hands are involved in the formation of a sign and can be referred as a double-dez.[1] There is a total of fifty-five symbols. Twelve of the symbols are strictly used for tab. Nineteen of the symbols pertain to dez with a few being interchangeably used as tab. The remaining twenty-four are strictly sig symbols with five sub-groups; vertical, sideways, horizontal, rotary, and interaction. The interaction sub-group symbols are to indicate the interrelationship between a double-dez or tab-dez of a sign.[1]
Authors backgrounds
[edit]William Stokoe
[edit]Carl Croneberg
[edit]Carl Gustaf Croneberg was born in a small Swedish town on April 29, 1930.[4][5] Between the ages of ten and twelve, Croneberg lost his hearing, and due to his deafness, his parents sent him to a Deaf institution.[4][5] Croneberg acquired and became fluent in Swedish sign language at the school without being formally taught.[5] Croneberg also learned English and German from a “correspondence course.”[5] In 1950, Croneberg learned about Gallaudet University from his high school headmaster, and in the spring of 1950, he met President Elstad from the University.[4][5] President Elstad was impressed with Croneberg and recruited him to enroll in Gallaudet University.[4][5] In the fall of 1951, Cronberg began earning his degree at Gallaudet University and learned American Sign Language (ASL).[5] In 1955, Croneberg earned his B.A. in English at Gallaudet University, and then in 1959, he got his M.A. in English at Catholic University.[4][5]
While Croneberg was earning his M.A., he was also offered and hired as an assistant to the English department at Gallaudet University.[5] In 1959, after a few promotions, Croneberg was an assistant professor and earned the admiration of William Stokoe.[4][5] Stokoe offered Cronberg to help with his research, and together with Dorthy Casterline, the three of them continued to work on Stokoe’s research, which resulted in the publication of A Dictionary of American Sign Language on Linguistic Principles.[4][5] Croneberg remained at Gallaudet University teaching in the English department until his retirement in 1986.[5]
Dorothy Casterline
[edit]Corothy Chiyoko Sueoka Casterline was born to her parents, Toshiba and Toyiko Sueoka, on April 27, 1928, in Honolulu, Hawaii.[4][6] In seventh grade, Casterline became deaf after suffering from an illness, possibly mastoiditis, and she completed the year in public school before transferring to Hawaii School for the Deaf and Blind.[4][6] Casterline remained at the Hawaii School for the Deaf and Blind for three to four years, where she was taught orally.[4][6] Casterline stated that students signed outside the classes and only managed to pick up enough signs to communicate with fellow students.[4] It wasn’t until 1955 that Casterline enrolled and attended Gallaudet University, where she officially picked up signing.[4] Casterline was the first Native Hawaiian student to graduate and receive a degree at Gallaudet University.[6]
The same year that Casterline started at Gallaudet University, 1955, William Stokoe also started at the university as an English Professor.[4] Stokoe was one of Casterline’s professors. When Casterline graduated, she joined the English Department at Gallaudet University, where she taught classes and worked with Stokoe on his research.[4][6] Casterline, Stokoe, and Carl Cronberg collaborated on Stokoe’s research, which resulted in the publication of A Dictionary of American Sign Language on Linguistic Principles.[4][6]
Impact
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References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e Stokoe, William C.; Casterline, Dorothy C.; Croneberg, Carl G. (1965). A Dictionary of American Sign Language on Linguistic Principles. Silver Spring, Maryland: Gallaudet College Press.
- ^ Hochgesang, Julie A.; Miller, Marvin T. (2016). "A Celebration of the Dictionary of American Sign Language on Linguistic Principles: Fifty Years Later". Sign Language Studies. 16 (4): 563–591. doi:10.1353/sls.2016.0012. ISSN 1533-6263.
- ^ Hochgesang, Julie (2022). "Quick Guide to Stokoe Notation, revised September 2021". Journal Contribution: 5257995 Bytes. doi:10.6084/M9.FIGSHARE.7379939.V2.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Maher, Jane (1996). Seeing Language in Sign. Gallaudet University Press. pp. 79–100. ISBN 9781563684708.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Ballard, Carey M. (2019). "Carl Croneberg: Unsung hero". Sign Language Studies. 20 (1): 173–176 – via Project MUSE.
- ^ a b c d e f Weinstock, Robert (2023-08-11). "Dorothy Chiyoko Sueoka Casterline: An appreciation | University Communications". Gallaudet University. Retrieved 2025-05-01.