ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews the ASL into the following points: First, the fact that deaf children in a signing environment learn manual-visual modes of communication as easily and in a similar pattern as hearing children learn speech indicates that language and speech are not the same thing. Speech is one way to convey linguistic competence; signing is another. Second, the drive to communicate linguistically is exceedingly strong. When one pathway of linguistic delivery is closed, humans will find another. Third, the basic principles of phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics are remarkably similar for signing and oral language. Sign language structure is based on variations in several parameters. These include hand-shape, location of the sign, movement of the sign, palm orientation, the region of the hand that contacts the body, the orientation of the hands with respect to each other, and non-manual signals. Using these parameters, morphemes, minimal pairs, clauses, and sentences can be formed.
