Learning Sign Language
Sign language is a type of communication (or language) which uses visually transmitted sign patterns (such as manual communication or body language) instead of acoustically conveyed sound patterns to express a speaker’s thoughts. Wherever communities of deaf people exist, sign languages develop. Their complex spatial grammars are markedly different from the grammars of spoken languages. Hundreds of sign languages are in use around the world. In linguistic terms, sign languages are as rich and complex as any oral language, despite the common misconception that they are not “real languages”. Professional linguists have studied many sign languages and found them to have every linguistic component required to be classed as true languages. Learning American Sign Language (ASL) is not only useful if you have a hearing impaired friend or family member, but it can open the door to a whole new world of friends and interesting people. Fortunately, there are free lessons available online at the American Sign Language resource site should you have an interest to get started, and while it is not an accredited course of study, it is a great launching pad to open some doors for further study.