The 4-1-1

So now I think it's important to go over some of the basic things everyone needs to know about ASL.

ASL is its own language. It is NOT signed English.

ASL is the third most spoken language in the United States. (after English and Spanish)

ASL is also spoken in 22 other countries.

Sign language is more than just communicating with your hands. It incorporates the body and face as well. Non manuals are different facial expressions and body movements that add additional meaning to a sign. Depending on the non manual used, the sign can have a different meaning.

Name signs are common in the deaf community. Name signs are used instead of fingerspelling out everyone's name. Name signs can simply be the first letter of a name and the first letter of a last name, or signs describing a person made using a letter hand shape. My name sign combines the letter "K" with the sign for "FIELD HOCKEY" because my name starts with K (Kelsey) and I love to play field hockey. If you are not deaf, you have to wait for a member of the deaf community to assign you a name sign out of respect. I finally got a name sign my senior year in high school when I would go to Silent Lunch every Wednesday. Silent Lunch was a great opportunity to meet members of the deaf community and to practice my signing more. Every Wednesday and Friday members of the deaf community meet at either a mall or a restaurant and just relax and socialize together. My class was lucky enough to experience this every week. It helped me to improve so much and I made some great friends at the same time!

While at Silent Lunch, a favorite topic to talk about was the huge online deaf culture. Blogging and video-blogging (vlogging) have become a popular way for the deaf community to stay even more connected. Here is a link to one that I follow regularly.