When I was a freshman in college, my advisor told me I needed to start thinking about what class I would take to fulfill the foreign language requirement for my Bachelor of Arts. I knew for sure I did not want to take Spanish, mainly because I could barely say, "Where's the bathroom?" but also because I heard it was a hard class and you couldn't take notes. Another option was French, but that conflicted with a class I had to take for my major, so all that was left was American Sign Language (ASL). I was both excited and intimidated by taking this class. I had always wanted to learn, but I knew it would be a difficult class.
I am now in ASL V and I am so happy I decided to keep learning ASL. Along the way, I've been asked the same questions over and over, and I feel like it's time to talk about it.
1. Sign language is universal, right?
No. In fact, there is a sign language for practically every language. There's American Sign Language, British Sign Language, French Sign Language (LSF, langue des signes française)... the list goes on and on. So no, I cannot understand what they are signing on TV because it is British Sign Language.
2. Isn't sign language just gestures?
No. Although some signs do make the gesture of the word they refer to, not all signs mean exactly what they look like.
3. Oh, so it's just English, but with signs?
Let me say it again, no. ASL has its own grammar rules completely different from English. In fact, ASL is more closely linked to LSF, and is closer to French grammar.
4. Yeah, but can you actually hold a conversation with someone?
Yes, I can. Even though I have only taken two years of it, I can have a fairly complicated conversation with a deaf person. Unlike spoken language, once a person knows the alphabet and basic grammar structure, they can hold a conversation, but it just may not be as fluid than if someone had a more advanced knowledge of ASL.
5. So, why don't deaf people just get a cochlear implant to hear? It would make their lives so much easier.
For some reason, this one particularly irks me. Deaf people do not see themselves as broken or impaired in any way (because they aren't), so they don't need to be "fixed." They are a part of a rich Deaf culture with its own customs and traditions.
I want to conclude by saying that I don't get angry at people for asking these questions because it means that they are interested in ASL and want to learn more about it. With that being said, I encourage you to learn ASL and all that you can about the Deaf community!!
