The pressure for the historical change moving some fingerspelled words to the side of signs is understandable. N-O is artificial and based on English orthography. The lexicalized form of N-O is more natural and easier to produce. Saying no in ASL is highly frequent, thus having it signed would be beneficial. I must add that a vast majority of signs have been developed from within ASL, not English. The role of fingerspelling in ASL is strong, however. Supporting this, " fingerspelled words appear as frequently as 7 %-10 % in the overall vocabulary in everyday signing "( Brentari & Padden, 2001, p. 103).
In addition, the search through the online Historical Sign Language Database( HSLDB) website provides a solid fact that there was indeed an old sign for‘ No’. The 1923 book authored by John Michaels indicates the sign NEGATIVE for NO, which is executed as“( 1) Hold the right hand out in front of you with the palm turned down.( 2) Give the hand a swift movement to the right”( p. 96). See the video below for the reenactment of the sign:
I cannot help but wonder why the true sign, NO is no longer in use. Going back to his deathbed, it is safe to conclude that Bell had the option of signing NO, or rather fingerspelling N-O or producing the lexicalized version of N-O. Since the multiple reports on his ' last dying words ' were written in English, the exact response that he made to his wife, Mabel, was lost in translation and possibly to history as well.
Note: Special thanks to Dr. Ted Supalla for his consultation regarding the early forms of ASL and to Dr. Sam Supalla for feedback on my editorial.
References Ballin, A.( 1998). The deaf mute howls. Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press.
Brentari, D., & Padden, C. A.( 2001). Native and foreign vocabulary in American Sign Language: A lexicon with multiple origins. In D. Brentari( Ed.), A cross-linguistic investigation of word formation( pp. 87-119). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Publishers.
Bruce, R. V.( 1973). Bell: Alexander Graham Bell and the conquest of solitude. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press. Gray, C.( 2006). Reluctant genius: Alexander Graham Bell and the passion for invention. New York, NY: Arcade Publishing.
Grosvenor, E. S., & Wesson, M.( 1997). Alexander Graham Bell: The life and times of the man who invented the telephone. New York, NY: Harry N. Abrams, Inc.
Higgins, D.( 1923). How to talk to the deaf. St. Louis, MO: Hidding. Lane, H.( 1984). When the mind hears: A history of the deaf. New York, NY: Random House. Mackay, J.( 1997). Alexander Graham Bell: A life. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Michaels, J. W.( 1923). A handbook of the sign language of the deaf. Atlanta, GA: Home Mission Board Southern Baptist Convention. Sign Media, Inc.( 2003). The preservation of American Sign Language: The complete historical collection [ DVD ]. Burtonsville, MD: Sign Media, Inc.
Supalla, T., & Clark, P.( 2014). Sign language archeology: Understanding the history and evolution of American Sign Language. Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press.
The Power of ASL 4 Spring 2017 – Issue 5