History of American Sign Language (ASL) And Some Of Its Facts

This is the language by which we can easily communicate with the deaf or speechless person. Learning this language is not doing them a favor but it is a favor to us. With the help of this language we can easily communicate with them and this will make us feel comfortable while we are speaking to them.The American Sign Language is the most common language used by the deaf people while speaking to others. If you are not familiar with that language then you cannot easily understand what the deaf person is trying to say to you. So it is better to be familiar with this language if you have a friend or a relative who is deaf or speechless. This will make their life also easy as they will have a person with whom they can share their thoughts without any problem.How American Sign Language got started is not known, but what we do know is that it was brought to America by a French man named Laurent Clerc who set up the first school for the Deaf here in the US.  Clerc taught French Sign Language (FSL) to Americans, and as a result, ASL and FSL are similar, but knowing one does not mean you can understand the other.Sign language is based on sight.  A person who is deaf uses the most important tool he has to communicate, which is his sight.  Through sight, the deaf person can receive information and connect with others by use of the hands, Using hand shapes and other visual cues, such as facial expression and body movements to communicate. To be fluent in sign language takes quite a bit of time and study.American Sign Language is a language that is different from English. It has grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure, as well as how it is used in a particular region as well as common colloquialisms.  Each language of sign uses different expressions. In speech, different sounds of tone are used to get a message across. In sign language, body language and facial expressions are used instead of the tones used in speech.Why does American Sign Language become a first language for many deaf people?

American sign language has also encouraged the communication with infants because, before children can speak, they speak. Not in a way that we can always understand but, by signs and body language. Encouraging a child to use this language can enhance their intellect and prepare them gradually for speech. Children who learn to express themselves this way are at an advantage compared to their counterparts who will be much slower. Sign language has further inspired contemporary art characterized with body movement that can entertain people. The thoughtful and deep moves manages to impress and provoke the emotions of the audience making the experience a wholesome one.

Such a simple thing like finger counting may not seem like a sign language but, is a less complex sign language. Even with normal speech and brain function, people found it necessary for this aid. This goes to show that we cannot live independent of sign language. Apart from creating a voice for the deaf, it has done so much and the least people can do is to recognize it. Many have been on the forefront to support its development and by it growing to such tremendous heights, shows that there has been goodwill.