ABSTRACT
Sign languages are produced by the hands, face, and body and perceived primarily visually, in contrast to spoken languages, which are produced by the mouth and vocal tract and perceived primarily auditorily. Sign languages are, therefore, primarily the languages of deaf people, who cherish them for their cultural and community-building value. A deaf person's identity as deaf will be affected by their identity in other ways, including race, ethnicity, gender identity, etc. This chapter focuses on American Sign Language (ASL), the sign language used in the United States and most of Canada. It discusses other varieties of ASL from time to time and focuses on variation. The chapter focuses on the following three: phonology, morphology, and syntax. It discusses the aspects of the phonology of ASL and also discusses the ASL morphology. This introduction also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book.
