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American Sign Language

September 12, 2014

Instructor: Dave Daveport

Student: Jeridiah Watson


1) According to Bahan and Nash, what were the three likely factors other than
consanguinity and hereditary causes that sustained the Marthas Vineyard signing
community? (28)
Your Answer: First there was geography (or physical location) was the main factor since
the island was isolated and insular, which helped contain the community. Secondly, was
attitude. the hearing residents looked at the deaf people as perfectly normal, and they
would spontaneously sign when a deaf person came into the scene. Access was the third
factor. The deaf person had full communication accessibility in community.

2) What is the parallel mentioned between Abbe del Eppe and Rev. Thomas Gallaudet?
(35)
Your Answer: Each man encountered young deaf girls who led to the establishment of
the first schools for the deaf in France and in the United States.

3) Who was the Apostle to the Deaf-Mutes of the New World? (38)
Your Answer: Laurent Clerc

4) Who was Gallaudet University named after? (45)
Your Answer: Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet

5) What was Alexander Graham Bells declared goal? (47)
Your Answer: To promote the use of speech, speech reading, and residual hearing for
hearing impaired persons.
6) What is the origin of the Morse code? (39)
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American Sign Language

September 12, 2014

Instructor: Dave Daveport

Student: Jeridiah Watson


Your Answer: Samuel Morse is the inventor of the telegraph and he happened to have a
deaf wife. It is said that he conversed with his wife by tapping Morse Code in her hand.


7) How did Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet learn the manual alphabet? (34)
Your Answer: Dr. Cogswell gave him a copy of Theorie Des Signes (1808) that he had
obtained from the National Institute for Deaf Mutes in Paris. That night THG learned the
manual alphabet from the book.
8) Bahan equates Bells attempt to solve the deaf problem to what? (47)
Your Answer: Wipe out persons they considered defective.