As I entered into the Deaf Culture and History portion of my education, I was shocked to learn that Sign langue is not universal. There is different meaning behind signs in different cultures simply because the cultures are different so Sign could not be universal. Here in America there’s American Sign Language and English sign. “ASL (American Sign Language) is a complete, unique language developed by deaf people, for deaf people and is used in its purest form by people who are Deaf. Being its own language, it not only has its own vocabulary, but also its own grammar that differs from English. Signed Exact English is a system to communicate in English through signs and finger spelling. Signed Exact English, in most cases, uses English grammar (that is, you are signing English). The vocabulary is a combination of ASL signs, modified ASL signs, or unique English signs.” (Definition provided by signingsavvy.com/blog) There is so much history that surrounds ASL and SEE. Have you ever wondered where the football huddle came from???
I graduated from the Sign Language program and continue to use Sign daily. I teach my children, family and friends. Being able to sign to my daughter from across the store to grab milk without yelling is definitely a plus! I have recently started to share this wonderful language with others by teaching and tutoring. I am able to explain the concepts a bit differently because of my life experiences. My relationship with my now favorite cousin Josh has flourished. I have many friends who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing. I have the ability to intermingle with both my hearing and Deaf friends.
Sign language is fascinating and beautiful. It is a complex language and can be challenging but it is definitely worth learning and an inspirational journey. I am blessed to be able to share it and help others become aware and involved with its beauty.
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