American Sign Language (ASL) is a language used for communication in deaf communities across North America. It emerged as a method of communication in deaf schools in the early 1800s, as a distinct language that was influenced by but distinct from French Sign Language, and other early forms of village and home sign languages. The Plains Indians had a type of sign language that allowed various tribes to communicate, which was discovered when explorers made contact with various tribes in the 1500s. American Sign Language is believed to have originated in approximately 1817 at the American School for the Deaf in Hartford, Connecticut. The school's founder had traveled to Europe and borrowed heavily from French Sign Language to develop ASL.
American Sign Language spread through the United States as a result of the American School for the Deaf's efforts to create a universal language for deaf people.
It wasn't until 1955, when a linguist encouraged the recognition of ASL as a legitimate language that it began to be truly recognized and employed as a form of communication for education.
Just like spoken languages, sign language has been developed all over the world. This means that there are many different types of sign language as opposed to one universal language.
There are more than 200 different sign languages used around the world.
It is a myth that American Sign Language represents spoken language. It does not.
Deaf people are able to learn how to read and write, as well as lip-read, in the language of their community or country. However sign language is not representative of the local spoken language.
Although sign language does not represent spoken language, it does have grammar and etiquette to ensure clear communication.
If an individual uses incorrect grammar while signing, they can be considered to have a 'foreign' accent.
Babies that are born deaf learn to use sign language to communicate in the same way babies born with hearing begin to use words to communicate.
Following English and Spanish, American Sign Language is the third most popular language used in the United States.
American Sign Language incorporates gestures, facial expression, and hand signs to create words and sentences for communication.
Similar to the English language, one sign in American Sign Language can have multiple meanings.
The meaning of a sign in American Sign Language can be changed simply by using facial expressions or gestures.
Most of the courses taught at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C., are taught in ASL.
Despite being a famous pianist and composer, Beethoven was hearing impaired.
American Sign Language differs depending on the age, gender, culture, and region where it is used, in much the same way English varies in dialect, based on the region it is used.
Deaf culture is a social community of deaf people that use American Sign Language to embrace the uniqueness of their experience and view being deaf as an experience and way of life as opposed to a disability. Many people who are deaf do not feel the need to correct their hearing.
