Telling about accidents - Describing an Incident With

a Horse

Unit 21ASL III

Telling about accidentsWe all have a story to tell about our misadventures, incidents involving a horse or a bicycle, car accidents, or even a near miss. These tales can engage and fascinate the listener; they can amaze or they can enlighten and guide us in making wise decisions the next time we encounter the same situations. Telling stories like these is a way of sharing our personal experiences with other people. The tricky part is learning how to describe the basic action, time reactions, and show different perspectives.

Telling about accidentsThis is another narrative unit designed to help you develop essential skills for telling a story successfully. You will learn to use more complex combinations or classifiers to tell what happened. For instance, talking about an incident with a horse usually requires switching between different classifiers used to represent the horse, the rider, and maybe a barrier. The same is true for telling about an incident with a bicycle or a car. You will also learn to time your reactions to coincide with the impact of a fall or an accident.

Horse Incidents1. Describe the situation.2. Tell what happened

■ Establish movement agreement■ Same speed■ Change in speed

■ Reestablish the rider to show change in position■ No barriers■ With barriers

3. Tell the result of the incident.

1.Describe the Situation

Create a context for what is about to happen. For example, a friend who has never ridden a horse wants to try it, so two friends decide to go horseback riding.

2. Tell What Happeneda. establish movement

agreement between the rider and the horse same speed - If the horse’s

speed remains the same until the incident, use this classifier sequence:

i. show movement of horse using (2h)SCL:V “horse legs”

ii. show rider on horse using SCL:V “rider” on LCL:B “horse”

iii. show rider’s actions using ICL “hold reins.”

*Use the same facial expression for the speed throughout the sequence

2. Tell What Happeneda. establish movement

agreement between the rider and the horse change in speed - If the

horse’s speed changes before the incident, follow this sequence:

i. repeat the classifier sequence to establish the original speed

ii. reestablish the horse’s movement (2h)SCL:V “legs” and show how abruptly or gradually the speed changed

iii. change facial expressions to reflect the new speed

2. Tell What Happened - “Nikki’s Horse Incident”

This video will show Nikki telling what happened in a horse incident. Notice at the beginning how she describes the situation and creates a context for what is about to happen. She explains the scene (her house, her frend’s house next door, and the barn area for riding). She also explains how she noticed the saddle was loose and told her friend to tighten her saddle.

Then, notice throughout the story how Nikki establishes movement agreement between the rider and horse by switching between the horse’s legs moving, the classifier for her on the horse, and her view as her body begins to hang upside down on the horse. She keeps a consistent rhythm throughout the telling of her story.

Watch and practice signing movement agreement along with Nikki throughout the telling of her story.

2. Tell What Happenedb. Reestablish the rider to show

change in position (this is where you describe what happened)

no barrier: i. Use a transition

sign to indicate that what is about to happen next is unexpected

ii. reestablish the person on the horse, then describe the person’s fall or change in position on the horse using SCL:V “person”

iii. time the “ahh” or “pow” expressions with the action

iv. use BCL or BPCL to describe how the person ended up

2. Tell What Happenedb. Reestablish the rider to show

change in position (this is where you describe what happened)

with barrier: i. Use a transition sign

to indicate that what is about to happen next is unexpected

ii. name the barrier and establish it using DCL or LCL

iii. show the relationship of the horse to the barrier

iv. reestablish the person on the horse, then describe the person’s fall or change in position on the horse

v. time the “ahh” or “pow” expressions with the action

vi. use BCL or BPCL to describe how the person ended up

3. Tell the result of the incidentTo conclude the story, describe reactions and injuries, and tell what happened to the horse and the rider after the incident. End the story with a comment.

“A Horse Incident” by John

Video Notes:This incident involves no change in the horse’s speed and no barriers. Given this, notice how the information is organized and how the classifiers are sequenced and reactions timed. Pay attention to how John establishes movement agreement between him and the bucking horse by using (2h)SCL:V to describe the horse’s bucking. His mouth movements rhythmically correspond with the action described and he maintains the expression throughout the sequence. When he’s about to describe the fall, he reestablishes himself on the horse before telling us he went flying through the air using the “ahh” expression.

This video segment is about John and his friend, who had never ridden a horse, going to a riding stable. John, being a bit of a show-off, told his friend to watch and learn. John’s off-hand manner sets him up for an embarrassing moment.

Practice signing John’s description of the horse incident. Be sure to use facial expressions with the sequence of classifiers and to time the “ahh” and “pow” expressions with the fall.

Horse Incidents - Essential Classifiers

Classifiers Used to Represent a Horse:

■ (2h)SCL:V “horse movement” - This semantic classifier is used to show the horse’s position, such as standing and laying, or the horse’s movement, such as trotting, bucking, running, and jumping.

■ (wh)LCL:B “horse”/SCL:V “rider on horse” - This is a combination of two classifiers - semantic (“V” representing a person) and locative (“B” on the weak hand representing the horse). This combination is used when describing a person straddling something, in this case a horse. The combination is used to show the interaction between the rider (SCL:V) and the horse (LCL:B), e.g., the rider bouncing on the horse and the speed at which both the rider and the horse are moving. The only time the horse is represented by the “B” handshape is when you talk about the rider on the horse. ■LCL:1 “horse running in circle” - This locative classifier is used to describe the direction or route the horse takes, e.g., the horse is running down the road or around the arena.

Horse Incidents - Essential Classifiers

Classifiers Used to Show How a Rider Manipulates a Horse:

■(2h)ICL “pull reins” - This instrument classifier is used to show a person holding or handling something, in this case holding the reins, pulling back on the reins, slapping the horse with the reins, or holding the horse’s mane.

■(2h)BPCL:X “kick horse with both legs” - This bodypart classifier is used to represent legs. It can be used to describe the rider kicking the horse with both legs.

BCL “slap horse’s rear” - This body classifier is used to “enact” the actions of a person, in this case, slapping the horse’s rear end. This is distinguished from the other hand “holding” the reins, which indicates an instrument classifier.

Facial Expressions and Head Movements

■ “mmm” + bobbing head: indicates a leisurely ride on a trotting horse

■ “mahmah” + bouncing head: indicates a rough ride on a bucking horse

■ “eee” + head forward: indicates a fast ride

Classifiers used to describe incidents involving barriers

Descriptive classifiers (DCL) are primarily used to describe the size and shape of barriers. A locative classifier (LCL) is used to represent the barrier when describing what happened.

Follow this structure to describe incidents involving barriers:

1. Name the barrier2. Describe the barrier3. Describe the accident

BarriersTree■ TREE (2h)LCL:C “tree

branch” LCL:1 “tree hits forehead”

Fence■ FENCE HORSE (2h)SCL:V

“jump over fence”

Pond■ WATER (2h)LCL:C “pond”

HORSE (2h)SCL:V “stops immediately”

Facial Expressions for Falls/Impact■ “ahh”: indicates that an

object or a person is airborne. You could have the horse stop suddenly in front of a pond and have the rider flying through the air (“ahh”) then landing on the ground (“pow”).

■ “pow”: used for both objects and people, whenever you have impact. For example, a person falls and lands on the ground - describing the moment of impact requires the “pow” expression.

Other Useful Signs■ Transition Sign -

WRONG: This transition sign indicates that what is about to happen is unexpected.

■ REFUSE: This sign is used when a person or an animal, with a mind of its own, refuses to do something. In John’s story, John states that his friend would not get on a horse even after John’s reassurances that everything would be fine.

You try it! Horse Situations1. Horse starts bucking up.2. Horse rears up on hind legs.3. Horse suddenly sits down on all

four legs.4. Horse is trotting along.5. Horse moves at a slow speed to

a very fast speed.6. Horse runs from very fast to slow.7. Horse slows down to a stop.8. Running horse comes to a dead

stop.9. Horse moves slowly to fast, then

back to slowly.10. Running horse stumbles and

falls.11. Galloping horse steps into a hole

and falls.

Try practicing along with the horse situations in the video.

ReviewThroughout this presentation, you have learned the following:

■ Horse Incidents Structure:a. Describe the situation.b. Tell what happened

■ Establish movement agreement▪ Same speed▪ Change in speed

■ Reestablish the rider to show change in position▪ No barriers▪ With barriers

c. Tell the result of the incident.

■ Essential Classifiers related to horse accidents■ Barriers and related classifiers■ Associated facial expressions and head movements