Boston University. University Professors Program Senior theses. / PLEASE NOTE: Boston University Libraries did not receive an Authorization To Manage form for this thesis. It is therefore not openly accessible, though it may be available by request. If you are the author or principal advisor of this work and would like to request open access for it, please contact us at open-help@bu.edu. Thank you. / 2031-01-02

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Low-resource languages, including sign languages, are a challenge for machine translation research. Given the lack of parallel corpora, current researchers must be content with a small parallel corpus in a narrow domain for training a system. For this thesis, we obtained a small parallel corpus of English text and American Sign Language gloss from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We cleaned the corpus by loading it into an open-source translation memory tool, where we removed computer markup language and split the large chunks of text into sentences and phrases, creating a total of 14,247 sentence pairs. We randomly partitioned the corpus into three sections: 70% for a training set, 10% for a development set, and 20% for a test set. After downloading and installing the open-source Moses toolkit, we went through several iterations of training, translating, and evaluating the system. The final evaluation on unseen data yielded a state-of-the-art score for a low-resource language.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study proposes a concept model for an electronic bilingual dictionary of sign language and Afrikaans (or English, or any other spoken language) that can be applied in practice by the De la Bat School for the Deaf in Worcester – or any school of similar organisation – to compile a bilingual dictionary in which it is not only possible to look up a sign via a written word but also to look up a sign even if the user does not necessarily know the written equivalent. This is important as it will mean that, for the first time in South Africa, a Deaf user would not have to be literate in any written language to use a dictionary in his or her own language. At the same time a hearing user would be able to look up a sign of which the meaning is unknown, for example when a sign is noticed in a conversation or an unknown context. The sign language dictionaries currently available in South Africa are little more than alphabetically arranged (or sometimes thematically arranged) lists in which the written language offers the only access to the content. As per introduction the first four chapters provide general discussions of sign language, the Deaf in South Africa, lexicography and sign language dictionaries. The discussions which follow in the remaining chapters focus on the decisions which have to be made in terms of the proposed dictionary’s content and design. These chapters contain recommendations regarding equivalent relations between sign language and Afrikaans, several outer texts which could be included in the frame structure, the characteristics of the electronic database from which the dictionary will be generated, as well as decisions that have to be made about the microstructure. In the last chapter the lexicographic model for an electronic bilingual Foundation Phase dictionary of South African Sign Language and Afrikaans is provided with complete examples. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie stel 'n konsepmodel voor vir 'n elektroniese tweetalige woordeboek van gebaretaal en Afrikaans (of Engels, of enige ander gesproke taal) wat deur die De la Bat Skool vir Dowes in Worcester – of enige ander skool of soortgelyke instansie – in die praktyk aangewend sou kon word om 'n tweetalige woordeboek saam te stel waarin dit nie slegs moontlik is om 'n gebaar via 'n geskrewe woord op te soek nie, maar ook om 'n gebaar op te soek sonder dat die gebruiker noodwendig die geskrewe ekwivalent ken. Dit is belangrik aangesien dit die eerste keer in Suid- Afrika sal beteken dat 'n Dowe gebruiker nie in enige geskrewe taal geletterd hoef te wees om 'n woordeboek in sy of haar eie taal te gebruik nie. Terselfdertyd sal 'n horende gebruiker wat gebaretaal leer in staat wees om 'n gebaar op te soek waarvan die betekenis onbekend is, soos wanneer 'n gebaar in 'n gesprek of onbekende konteks opgemerk word. Die gebaretaalwoordeboeke wat op die oomblik in Suid-Afrika bestaan, is weinig meer as alfabetiese (of soms tematiese) lyste waarin die geskrewe taal die enigste toegang tot die inhoud bied. Ter inleiding word algemene besprekings van gebaretaal, Dowes in Suid-Afrika, leksikografie en gebaretaalwoordeboeke in die eerste vier hoofstukke verskaf. Die besprekings wat in die hoofstukke daarop volg, fokus in meer besonderhede op die besluite wat t.o.v. die voorgestelde woordeboek se inhoud en ontwerp gemaak moet word. Dié hoofstukke bevat aanbevelings rakende ekwivalentverhoudings tussen gebaretaal en Afrikaans, verskeie buitetekste wat in die raamstruktuur gebruik sou kon word, die eienskappe van die elektroniese databasis waaruit die woordeboek gegenereer word asook besluite wat oor die mikrostruktuur geneem moet word. In die laaste hoofstuk word die leksikografiese model vir 'n elektroniese tweetalige grondslagfasewoordeboek van Suid-Afrikaanse Gebaretaal en Afrikaans met volledige voorbeelde uiteengesit. / Nasionale Navorsingstigting / Harry Crosleystigting

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of nonverbal communication training on the acquisition of expressive and receptive sign language skills. Thirteen skills were included. Twenty-eight participants enrolled in the Beginning Interpreter Training Program (BITP) held at the University of Arizona were selected as subjects. The subjects were randomly assigned to two groups, a control group and an experimental group. The experimental group received ten hours of nonverbal communication training in the categories of kinesics, eye movement, facial expression, proxemics, chronemics, haptics, and artifacts, concurrently with their participation in the BITP. A rating instrument was devised and administered that measured the subject's performance on thirteen expressive and receptive sign language skills. A comparison of pretest and posttest performances was made utilizing the analysis of covariance. The results of the statistical analysis indicated that the experimental group improved significantly on the skills of receptive clarity and receptive fluency. No statistically significant differences were found between the experimental group and the control group on the other eleven skills although the experimental group mean score values were consistently higher than the control group mean score values. The importance of the results for the two groups of subjects involved in this study and the field of interpreting is that nonverbal communication training appears to enhance the receptive clarity and fluency abilities of sign language interpreters. This study should serve as an impetus and a reference point for others wishing to investigate the inclusion of nonverbal communication training in sign language interpreter training programs.

Sign language is an effective form of alternative communication for persons with autism and other developmental disabilities. Only a few studies have systematically measured the effects of sign language on the vocal responses of its users. This study employed a multiple baseline design to evaluate the effects of sign language on the vocal responses of a four-year-old boy with autism. Results indicate that a reinforcement contingency placed only on sign responses is inadequate for maintaining vocal responses. When a reinforcement contingency is placed on sign responses as well as vocal responses that the user is capable of emitting in verbal imitation, both sign and vocal responses are maintained. Results are discussed in terms of the need for a reinforcement contingency placed on vocal and sign responses, the effects of teaching procedures on response variability, and the need for future research to examine procedures utilized to teach sign language to persons within the developmental disabilities population.

Esta dissertação, intitulada Lexicografia da Língua de Sinais Brasileira (Libras) do Rio Grande do Sul, objetiva documentar o léxico de sinais de Libras usado pela população surda do estado do Rio Grande do Sul, com a finalidade de aumentar a representatividade geográfica lexical dos sinais de uso comum entre os surdos gaúchos nas próximas edições do Novo Deit-Libras: Novo Dicionário Enciclopédico Ilustrado Trilíngue da Língua de Sinais Brasileira (Capovilla, Raphael, & Mauricio). Dos 347.481 surdos brasileiros, 48.700 residem na região Sul, sendo que, das regiões do Brasil, o Sul tem a maior incidência proporcional de surdez (i.e., de pessoas que, na terminologia do IBGE, \"não conseguem ouvir de modo algum\") em relação à população total do mesmo estado. O Rio Grande do Sul tem uma população de 10.693.929 habitantes, dos quais 617.096 têm algum tipo de deficiência auditiva. Assim, 5,77% da população do estado tem deficiência auditiva, daí a necessidade de fazer o registro lexicográfico da língua de sinais usada pela população desse estado. Esta pesquisa lexicográfica é parte do programa de pesquisa de documentação lexicográfica de Libras do Laboratório de Neuropsicolinguística Cognitiva Experimental da Universidade de São Paulo, que tem documentado a língua de sinais de cada região brasileira. A pesquisa empregou procedimento padrão de pesquisa lexicográfica, incluindo, portanto, as etapas de levantamento, seleção de bibliografia, pesquisa de campo, análise e registro de dados. A pesquisa produziu um corpus de 2.869 sinais de Libras, todos plenamente documentados, descritos e ilustrados em sua forma e em seu significado, bem como distribuídos em 16 categorias semânticas / This dissertation, entitled Brazilian Sign Language Lexicography in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, aims to document the lexicon of the Brazilian Sign Language signs used by the deaf people in the state of Rio Grande do Sul and to increase the geographic representation of lexical signs commonly used among deaf people from this state in the following edition of the trilingual sign dictionary -New Trilingual Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brazilian Sign Language (Capovilla, Raphael, & Mauricio). Out of the 347.481 Brazilian deaf, 48.700 live in the South Region of Brazil, which is the one with the highest relative incidence of deaf people (that is, according to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics, and it refers to people who cannot hear at all) if compared to the population in the state. Rio Grande do Sul has a population of 10.693.929 people of whom 617.096 have some kind of hearing impairment. Therefore, 5,77% of this state´s population has some kind of hearing loss and that is why it is necessary to register the Sign Language lexicon used by these people. This lexical research is part of the Brazilian lexicographic documentation research program of the Brazilian Sign Language and it is linked to Lance-USP, a laboratory at University of Sao Paulo, that has been documenting the Sign Language in each one of the country states. The research applied a standard procedure of lexicographical research, including the steps of collecting, bibliographic selection, field research, analysis and register of the data. The research has produced 2.869 signs for the Brazilian Sign Language, all fully documented, described and illustrated in both form and meaning, as well as distributed in 16 semantic categories

Esta dissertação, intitulada Lexicografia da Língua de Sinais Brasileira (Libras) do Rio Grande do Sul, objetiva documentar o léxico de sinais de Libras usado pela população surda do estado do Rio Grande do Sul, com a finalidade de aumentar a representatividade geográfica lexical dos sinais de uso comum entre os surdos gaúchos nas próximas edições do Novo Deit-Libras: Novo Dicionário Enciclopédico Ilustrado Trilíngue da Língua de Sinais Brasileira (Capovilla, Raphael, & Mauricio). Dos 347.481 surdos brasileiros, 48.700 residem na região Sul, sendo que, das regiões do Brasil, o Sul tem a maior incidência proporcional de surdez (i.e., de pessoas que, na terminologia do IBGE, \"não conseguem ouvir de modo algum\") em relação à população total do mesmo estado. O Rio Grande do Sul tem uma população de 10.693.929 habitantes, dos quais 617.096 têm algum tipo de deficiência auditiva. Assim, 5,77% da população do estado tem deficiência auditiva, daí a necessidade de fazer o registro lexicográfico da língua de sinais usada pela população desse estado. Esta pesquisa lexicográfica é parte do programa de pesquisa de documentação lexicográfica de Libras do Laboratório de Neuropsicolinguística Cognitiva Experimental da Universidade de São Paulo, que tem documentado a língua de sinais de cada região brasileira. A pesquisa empregou procedimento padrão de pesquisa lexicográfica, incluindo, portanto, as etapas de levantamento, seleção de bibliografia, pesquisa de campo, análise e registro de dados. A pesquisa produziu um corpus de 2.869 sinais de Libras, todos plenamente documentados, descritos e ilustrados em sua forma e em seu significado, bem como distribuídos em 16 categorias semânticas / This dissertation, entitled Brazilian Sign Language Lexicography in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, aims to document the lexicon of the Brazilian Sign Language signs used by the deaf people in the state of Rio Grande do Sul and to increase the geographic representation of lexical signs commonly used among deaf people from this state in the following edition of the trilingual sign dictionary -New Trilingual Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brazilian Sign Language (Capovilla, Raphael, & Mauricio). Out of the 347.481 Brazilian deaf, 48.700 live in the South Region of Brazil, which is the one with the highest relative incidence of deaf people (that is, according to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics, and it refers to people who cannot hear at all) if compared to the population in the state. Rio Grande do Sul has a population of 10.693.929 people of whom 617.096 have some kind of hearing impairment. Therefore, 5,77% of this state´s population has some kind of hearing loss and that is why it is necessary to register the Sign Language lexicon used by these people. This lexical research is part of the Brazilian lexicographic documentation research program of the Brazilian Sign Language and it is linked to Lance-USP, a laboratory at University of Sao Paulo, that has been documenting the Sign Language in each one of the country states. The research applied a standard procedure of lexicographical research, including the steps of collecting, bibliographic selection, field research, analysis and register of the data. The research has produced 2.869 signs for the Brazilian Sign Language, all fully documented, described and illustrated in both form and meaning, as well as distributed in 16 semantic categories

Thesis (M. A.. (African Languages)) -- University of Limpopo, 2018 / Support and training services serves as a key to easy life for the deaf community. The whole experience allows deaf people to batter people who understand who they are and how life should be. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the support and training Sign Language services provided at Setotolwane Secondary School. Data was collected from Setotolwane Secondary School using semi-structured interviews. Qualitative approach was used where ten (10) people were interviewed. Among then there were five (5) deaf learners and five (5) Sign Language teachers. Finally, the results show that deaf people are being provided with support and training Sign Language service. The services provided are not enough that are further recommendations to improve in the situation. This study aims to indicate how relevant support and training can improve and empower the deaf community around the world. Keywords Sign Language, support services, training services

Magister Scientiae - MSc / This thesis presents an approach for automatically generating signing animations from a sign language notation. An avatar endowed with expressive gestures, as subtle as changes in facial expression, is used to render the sign language animations. SWML, an XML format of SignWriting is provided as input. It transcribes sign language gestures in a format compatible to virtual signing. Relevant features of sign language gestures are extracted from the SWML. These features are then converted to body animation pa- rameters, which are used to animate the avatar. Using key-frame animation techniques, intermediate key-frames approximate the expected sign language gestures. The avatar then renders the corresponding sign language gestures. These gestures are realistic and aesthetically acceptable and can be recognized and understood by Deaf people. / South Africa