(ASL 1 Week 2) Lesson 2 Grammar A: ASL is NOT English

ASL is NOT English

1. ASL was influenced by French sign language in the early 1800's.
2. In the 1960's William Stokoe proved ASL is it's own separate language, he also wrote two books on the subject that changed the publics opinion on ASL being its own language.
3. In 1817 ASL was formally born at the American School for the Deaf.
4. The American School for the Deaf provided an environment for the deaf students to interact with other people who are deaf. They then mixed signs until it was no longer identifiable as French sign language and was their own. (Collin Matthew Belt American Sign Language: History 2013)
5. Signed English is a variation of English expressed visually to assist those less familiar with sign, however ASL is its own language. (Bornstein, Luczak, Saulnier, Hamilton, and Miller 1983)