Grades 3–5 · Language
How can a signed language say more than a picture?
A conversation can carry a whole language without using a speaking voice. American Sign Language, or ASL, is a natural language used by many deaf people and by some hearing people. It has its own grammar: shared rules for connecting meanings.
In the diagramA signed language combines informationLocations of information; no sign demonstrated.Face and bodyHandsSigningspaceLanguage is more than a recognizable picture.shape, location and movement
In ASL, the shape, position and movement of the hands matter. The face and body also carry information. A facial expression can do grammatical work, rather than merely showing how someone feels. Different pieces of information work together across time and space.
Some signs can remind a viewer of a thing or action, but resemblance alone does not explain the language. ASL is not English acted out with the hands. It is also not a universal language understood by everyone who is deaf. British Sign Language and ASL are distinct languages. Understanding a signed conversation depends on learning that language, just as understanding a spoken conversation does.
About this explanation
Starting knowledge: Understanding that a shared language links forms to meaning and that languages can differ.
Sources
- National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders — American Sign Language
- Gallaudet University — Gallaudet University Tips for Reporters: American Sign Language