I am very ignorant when it comes to sign language in general.
Why is it called American Sign Language? Is it based off of English? If so why not English Sign Language?
For example is their a Chinese sign language? Would someone who knows Chinese sign language be able to communicate with an American Sign Language person?
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There are many different sign languages, mostly because there are deaf people in different geographic areas and their “home signs” developed into distinct languages. Nicaraguan Sign Language came about naturally recently, while observed, and is an [interesting case study](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicaraguan_Sign_Language).
Sign languages are languages. ASL isn’t based on English, it’s a distinct language. It’s related to French Sign Language but not British Sign Language. Its grammar is not English like and apparently has some resemblance to Japanese.
French and American Sign are not mutually intelligible but have enough overlap that maybe, with difficulty, people can get through. Maybe a little bit like French and Portuguese. Because Chinese Sign also descends from French Sign, there’s also a higher chance of being able to painstakingly communicate between ASL and CSL than ASL and BSL, again because sign languages are unrelated to the local spoken language. In fact, learning to read the local language, like English for American signers, requires basically learning another language that doesn’t share vocabulary or grammar with the language used in the deaf community.
First, sign language is not universal. The same way spoken language isn’t universal.
American English and British English aren’t the same. Just look at the word chips.
Now, sign language. American (ASL) uses a one handed alphabet. Two hands are used to make flowing connections or sentences. But ASL can be understood with only one hand.
British (BSL) uses a two handed alphabet. But BSL isn’t even universal in Great Britian. Welsh signers have shorthand that London signers don’t use. Regional dialects, regional accents. It naturally flows to regional signs.
Indo-Pakistani (IPSL) is the most used sign language in the world by population. But nearly every major language center will have their own form of a regional specific sign language.
The EU has 27 members and 30 different sign languages.
It is not based on English at all. It is a completely different language, and just like spoken languages, there are many different sign languages all over the world.
American Sign Language is just one of the larger ones, just like how English is one of the larger spoken languages: because America is culturally impactful all around the world.
There is indeed a [Chinese Sign Language](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_Sign_Language). [Here are many more](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_sign_languages)!
Fun fact time: sign language can still have regional dialects, as people from New York will sign slightly different from people from Texas
ASL is its own language; it’s not just English with your hands
Yes – different countries have their own signed languages; and knowing ASL does not allow you to communicate with someone who learned to sign in Korea……..however like spoken languages USA has a large population and powerful economy so many people will learn some ASL for practical reasons
ASL is not a direct translation of English! It has its own syntax and grammar. English Sign Language would imply that the signs are based on the structure of English but it actually developed its grammar system influenced by French Sign Language (which explains some of its roots). there are many different sign languages around the world like British, French, Mexican, etc. Just like spoken languages, someone who knows Chinese Sign Language would not automatically understand American Sign Language, because they’re completely different languages. They have their own vocabulary, grammar, and signs, just like how English and Chinese are different spoken languages.
There are variations to ASL like “Signed English” or “Exactly English” that try and use ASL vocabulary with English grammar, but these are not ASL.
ASL has its own grammar, structure, and vocabulary. It’s its own language. The primary crossover is in finger spelling, where the alphabet is used to perform an English word. And some ASL words derive from the English (like apartment, which is APT).
But you can say the equivalent in other languages too. Typewriter is typewriter in Japanese, because they just took the English word for it.
It’s based off English! I know very little sign language, but I took a semester in college so I’ve got the basics.
Sentence structure is based very closely on English, though it is a bit simplified and therefore, in my opinion, easier to learn. Most signs also translate pretty directly to English words. There is no written form of sign language as deaf/mute Americans have no trouble reading and writing, so regular ole English is used.
It’s called American Sign Language because it is the primary sign language used in America. It’s largely independent from spoken English, having its own set of grammar rules. Between this, and the fact that England uses a different sign language, it wouldn’t really make sense to call it English Sign Language.
And on that subject, yes, many other regions do have their own sign languages, most of which would not be understood by users of other sign languages. There’s American Sign Language, British Sign Language, French Sign Language, and, yes, Chinese Sign Language, just to name a few.
American Sign Language (ASL) has its roots in French Sign Language (FSL), because when American Deaf schools were formed, the French were the furthest ahead in the world of helping and supporting their Deaf community. As a result, ASL and FSL have about a 60% overlap (or did, when I took ASL 20 years ago).
Sign languages appear and evolve inside Deaf communities. They are not pre-made or imposed. So ASL is nothing like BSL (British Sign Language); they evolved in different Deaf communities.
And no, ASL is absolutely not based off of English. Its grammar is wildly different and it has very little connection to the English language at all.
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