Many people think that “sign language” is basically a gestural form of English, but that’s not true. American Sign Language is a very different language with its own grammar rules and structure.
Here’s one example. Linguistically, English uses suffixes or spelling changes to identify the tense, or time frame, of a statement:
- “I bought a car.” means it happened in the past.
- “I am buying a car.” means it is happening now.
- “I will buy a car.” means it will happen in the future.
These same ideas are expressed in ASL with specific signs indicating time, and these are placed before the same content:
- PAST CAR I BUY
- NOW CAR I BUY
- FUTURE CAR I BUY
There’s an efficiency in both ways of communicating, if everyone has the same resources (hearing or vision) and understanding available to them. If one party cannot hear inflections, cannot see time indicators, or they don’t share a common language, miscommunication happens.
There have been signing systems developed, like Signed Exact English (SEE), in an attempt to bring the two languages closer together. It’s still in use, generally in academic settings, but it has the square-peg-round-hole feel of an artificial construct more than an organic language. Most deaf folks with access to deaf communities shift to the efficiency of ASL, a natural and complete language.