CHAPTER 1:

                                 WHAT IS ASL?

American Sign Language is not "bad or broken" English. ASL (American Sign Language) is a unique language with its own grammatical rules and synatax that is precise, and subtle as English. Chapter one is focused on the history behind this language, which in the classroom it began at Hartford Connecticut in the early 19th century ASL evolved from a blend of whats now called old french sign language, which was traced to the "dialect" used in the communities of Childmark and West Tisbury on Marthas Vineyard. To me,  this chapters main point is to bring to hearing peoples attention that communication is universal. People find ways to communicate to one another. There is no "exact" definition for American Sign Language and the subject is rather controversy. ASL structure and vocabualry owes nothing to English. This language continues to evolve, and every user has a unique style of signing.

In chapter one, it says, "not long ago, deaf children were discouraged if  not prohibited even in schools for the deaf from signing in the classroom, and adults were ashamed to be signing in public". I could not believe it! If communication is universal why should sign language of any kind be prohbited to the individuals that are deaf? Deaf people were made to feel that ASL was strictly inferior to English, and communicating in sign was not socially acceptable.

Luckily, people have become more accepting of  it, but of course there are still some sentiments that exist and children are still discouraged from making ASL their first language. 

"ASL is a beautiful, expressive, and colorful language that is finally beginning to get the respect it deserves."