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What is American Sign Language, or ASL?
American Sign Language or ASL is a language that consists of a combination of hand motions and facial expressions. While there is no written form of ASL, it takes it's base from the English language. Be aware: while other places like Britain and Australia do speak English, they do not use American Sign Language. They have their own forms of Sign Language - though there are some similarities between differing "dialects" of Sign Language. Like it's name suggests, American Sign Language is used in the United States of America. Also, some signs are regional and in different parts of the United States (or in different eras) may vary.
What is the the history of ASL?
Many credit Thomas Gallaudet with starting the American dialect of Sign Language in 1815 after returning from his trip to England with Laurent Clerc - a student at the Royal Institution for the Deaf in Paris. Upon returning from England, Gallaudet and Clerc opened a school for the deaf using their influences from England and Home Signs from a group of deaf people living in Martha's Vineyard. If you are interested in reading more general background information, you can skim the Wiki article here. Please remember though, Wiki is edited by people and the information may not all be correct.
Who "speaks" American Sign Language?
American Sign Language is spoken by the deaf population of the United States. However, other forms of sign language include: SEE (Signing Exact English) and PSE (Pidgin Signed English). SEE uses techniques that have you sign every single word, including added on signs for prefixes and suffixes. PSE combines ASL and SEE to form an awkward hybrid of the two sign languages. Most of the deaf community prefers ASL because it is more natural to "speak" and because it is most similar to English. ASL is taught in schools of the deaf, colleges and used for educational interpreting.
Under construction. To be opened soon. :]
What is American Sign Language, or ASL?
American Sign Language or ASL is a language that consists of a combination of hand motions and facial expressions. While there is no written form of ASL, it takes it's base from the English language. Be aware: while other places like Britain and Australia do speak English, they do not use American Sign Language. They have their own forms of Sign Language - though there are some similarities between differing "dialects" of Sign Language. Like it's name suggests, American Sign Language is used in the United States of America. Also, some signs are regional and in different parts of the United States (or in different eras) may vary.
What is the the history of ASL?
Many credit Thomas Gallaudet with starting the American dialect of Sign Language in 1815 after returning from his trip to England with Laurent Clerc - a student at the Royal Institution for the Deaf in Paris. Upon returning from England, Gallaudet and Clerc opened a school for the deaf using their influences from England and Home Signs from a group of deaf people living in Martha's Vineyard. If you are interested in reading more general background information, you can skim the Wiki article here. Please remember though, Wiki is edited by people and the information may not all be correct.
Who "speaks" American Sign Language?
American Sign Language is spoken by the deaf population of the United States. However, other forms of sign language include: SEE (Signing Exact English) and PSE (Pidgin Signed English). SEE uses techniques that have you sign every single word, including added on signs for prefixes and suffixes. PSE combines ASL and SEE to form an awkward hybrid of the two sign languages. Most of the deaf community prefers ASL because it is more natural to "speak" and because it is most similar to English. ASL is taught in schools of the deaf, colleges and used for educational interpreting.
Under construction. To be opened soon. :]
