Linguistics
Alliteration is a series of words or phrases that they start with the same linguistic unit (sound or visue). It is often found in poetry.
In speech language, the following clause, for example, is a repetition of the same consonant sounds or letters in a sequence of words, usually at the beginning of a word: "to free a feline family from falling into freedom forever".
Is there an equivalent to alliteration in sign language? Dr. Clayton Valli, a pioneer Deaf/ASL poet, studied sign language poetics including alliteration in his doctoral dissertation in the 1970s.
Valli discovered a parallel of the concept of alliteration to sign language, using the handshape rhyme. He described, "Alliteration may be the repetition of the first sound of several words in a line, compared to the handshape rhyme, that is, the repetition of the handshape of several signs in a line." [Source]
A favorite example of the ASL handshape rhymes is the poem "The Cow and the Rooster" by Valli. In this poem, he used only two handshapes "3" for the rooster and "Y" for the cow, except for the beginning and the ending, which is also another rhyme with the handshape "5" (open flat hand).
New to sign language? "Where do I start?" or "How do I start learning sign language?" This ASL Rookie guide lists some selected links to the tutorials for ASL beginners to get started and keep rolling. It may be a useful review for intermediate-level learners and ASL students as well.
Some tutorial pages are a mix of free and premium versions. Access to premium content and links below are available in the PatronPlus subscription. More links/posts will be added from time to time.
Are you able to carry everyday conversations in ASL? Are you a student in the intermediate levels and beyond, who wishes to boost up your signing skills? You've come to the selected tutorial series. (Some premium content are available to PatronPlus membership.)
Stories, poems, performance arts, etc. in sign language.
This documentation project follows a child's language acquisition, literacy development, and phonological acquisition in sign language, specifically ASL, from newborn to age five in a natural native-ASL environment and visual culture.