WHOLE ENTITY CLASSIFIERS

ASL has a fairly large set of signs that are called classifiers.  Linguists have found that there are two major types of classifiers:

I) Classifiers in which a particular handshape (with a specific 
    palm orientation) is used to represent a NOUN and can 
    indicate the location of that noun and its actions. These are called  Whole Entity Classifiers.

2) Classifiers that illustrate certain physical features of a noun as well as indicate its location in space. These are called
size and shape specifiers or "SASSes" (this will be covered in more detail later in the quarter).

I.  PRONOMINAL CLASSIFIERS (Whole Entity)

Some classifiers are like pronouns in that they represent a
particular group of nouns.  For example, the ASL classifier that is
glossed/written as CL:3 can represent a car, bus, van, boat or submarine, but not a person, animal or plant.  These signs are called classifiers because they stand or represent a particular group or "class" of nouns.

Like pronouns, these classifier generally cannot be used in a sentence until the signer FIRST indicates what the classifier is representing.  This is usually done by signing or fingerspelling the noun and then using the classifier that represents that noun.

SENTENCE EXAMPLES:  Practice Signing!!

1.    MAN (CL:1) COME-TO  ME.
        The man came up to me.

2.    WOMAN (CL:1) HURRY AWAY.
        The woman hurried away.

3.    CAR  (CL:3) DRIVE UP STEEP HILL
        The red car drove up the steep hill.

4.    MAN, WOMAN (CL:1) WALK PAST EACH OTHER.
        The man and woman walked past each other.

5.    GIRL (CL:1) COME-TO ME, TWO-US WALK TOGETHER.
        The girl came up to me and we walked away together.

6.    TEACHERS TWO (CL:V) SIT  "opposite each other"
        The two teachers are sitting opposite each other.

7.    BUS THIRTY  (CL:3) PARK " in a row"
        Thirty busses were lined up in a row.

8.    TABLE BROWN (CL: B), CUP COFFEE (CL: C) "at top right hand corner of table"
        The cup of coffee was located at the top right-hand corner of the brown table.

Whole Entity Classifier practice sentences
 

Classifier rule:  Give the pronoun sign first prior to using the classifier handshape.    CL:1 (also some number classifiers i.e. CL:2, CL:3, etc.) also indicates not only the individual(s) but its location, action and manner.   Manner refers to manipulating the sign to reflect details such as walking slowly, hunched over, moving quickly, falling down, or other characteristics.  Be sure to indicate the manner while working on the practice sentences.

Using the CL:1 handshape show:

1.    The boy came straight to me from the front.
2.    I hurried off to the right.
3.    The girl walked up to me and then turned left and walked away.
4.    I zigzagged straight ahead, and then came back.
5.    My girlfriend limped to me from the left.
 

Using two hands with the CL:1 handshapes, show:

1.    The girl and I went  away in opposite directions.
2.    I followed the man.
3.    The woman bumped me and I fell.
4.    The man and woman collided with each other and both fell over.
5.    The girl and boy walked very slowly to each other; both hunched over.

Use the appropriate CL handshape to sign the below:

1.    They ran that way!
2.    I walked up to the man and woman who were standing together.
3.    The three old ladies were moving at a snail's pace.
4.    The four men walked toward me and then quickly turned away.
5.    Two people hopped after the man.
6.    The two lines of 5 teachers bowed to each other.