American Sign Language (ASL) is a complete, complex language that employs signs made with the hands and other movements, including facial expressions and postures of the body. It is the first language of many deaf North Americans, and one of several communication options available to deaf people. ASL is said to be the fourth most commonly used language in the United States.
No one form of sign language is universal. For example, British Sign Language (BSL) differs notably from ASL. Different sign languages are used in different countries or regions. Visit yahoo directory sign language for full packed information.
# Signing is only part of ASL. Finger-spelling is the use of the manual alphabet to represent the English alphabet A – Z. They are not signs: they are hand shapes that designate specific letters. Commonly one uses fingerspelling in order to sign their name or a product name.
# Some English words such as “job,” “style,” “early,” “all,” and “gas” (as in natural gas, not gasoline) are frequently finger-spelled in lieu of a specific sign gloss.
# Numbers are also represented by hand shapes.
# Unlike British Sign Language and other European sign languages, letters and numbers in ASL can be represented on a single hand, instead of requiring both hands to produce.
# Remember that for many of your deaf friends, English is a second (or perhaps third, in Hispanic or Asian-American families) language. Some Deaf people are self-conscious about their English writing abilities, so don’t assume that all are comfortable about writing notes to communicate, especially in formal settings.
# In general, individual Deaf communities are tight-knit and initially hard to break into. But persistence and a humble attitude will help you succeed in making Deaf friends. Once they know you are sincere and eager to learn about them and their language, many Deaf people will begin to accept you and “show you the ropes” of their unique culture.
Alert: Do not try to learn ASL straight out of a sign book. You will invariably get some signs wrong and develop habits that will be bad enough to prevent you from ever become fluent in this beautiful language. Check out more information on american sign language
If you are serious about learning the language, get some Deaf friends and ask them out frequently. If you know no Deaf people, take a class in ASL. Most community colleges offer classes and some universities have both formal and informal classes that are open to the public.
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