American Sign Language/Deaf Culture

American Sign Language (ASL) is a different form of language from languages that many people use everyday. ASL is a language where people use their hands, rely on facial expressions and body languages. ASL users are primarily deaf or hard of hearing. ASL does not discriminate because it includes children of deaf adults, interpreters, teachers of the deaf and pretty much anyone who loves to learn and use language.

ASL is not the sole sign language established in this world - many countries across the world has their own verisons of sign language. American Sign Language is actually an evolved version of a collaborated and mixture of Indian Sign Language and French Sign Language (LSF) brought by Laurent Clerc when he was asked to teach at American School for the Deaf established by Thomas Gallaudet in 1817.

Despite the language being solely used by deaf and hard of hearing people, more doctors and parents recognize that knowing sign language at a very young age enables visual concepts and makes way for development of the English language. Most of the infants and toddlers will forget sign language as its use is not continued; however, some children will show aptidue and continue to use sign language especially if they are related to or have befriended deaf people.

After English and Spanish, ASL is the third language in the nation to be taught and learnt. With technological advancements in hearing improvement and mechanical hand signs recognition, ASL continues to be a personal and close language of many deaf and hard of hearing people with their close relatives and friends.

ASL is not just merely a manual language; however, it includes and incorporates facial expressions and body language that closely resembles the way spoken language users show. Facial expressions and body language is to ASL users are what tonal inflictation and minute gestures are to spoken language users. They also share structures that are similarily found in other languages; foundation, syntax, grammar, conceptualzation and more.