UB adds Irish, American sign language courses

The World Languages Institute at UB has announced that it will offer a two-semester sequence of the Irish language and a two-semester sequence of American Sign Language, beginning in the Fall 1998 semester. Completion of either sequence will fulfill UB's foreign-language requirement.

"You can see the changing face of the world in the popularity of certain languages over the years," said Mark Ashwill, director of the institute.

Interest in Irish language in particular, and Celtic studies in general, has grown considerably in North America over the past 20 years, and the language is enjoying a robust rebirth of popularity in Ireland itself.

"Today, more than a quarter million people in Ireland are fluent in the Irish language," according to Ashwill. "Nearly one-third of the population over the age of three claim to speak the language."

The first-year, first-semester Irish course will be taught by Margaret McGrath on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7-8:30 p.m. in 104 Clemens Hall on the North Campus.

The two-semester sequence of American Sign Language (ASL) is designed to expose students to deafness and the special needs of the deaf and hearing impaired. Students will learn basic vocabulary items, Ashwill said, and how to use them in one-to-one, small-group and large-group communications.

One section is filled, but a second section that still has openings will be taught from 4-5:20 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays in 219 Clemens. The instructor will be Lee Dray, a graduate of Gallaudet College who teaches at St. Mary's School for the Deaf. Since Dray is totally deaf, "This will be a total-immersion course and I'm sure a very interesting experience for the students," Ashwill said.

ASL is the visual/gestural language that is the primary means of communication used by deaf people in America and parts of Canada. It is estimated that between 100,000 and 500,000 people use ASL, making it the fourth most-used language in the U.S., according to Ashwill.

The World Languages Institute Web site at http://wings.buffalo.edu/world-languages/ soon will feature Irish and American Sign Language homepages. For more information, call 645-2292.