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American Sign Language (ASL) is a complete, complex language that employs signs made with the hands and other movements, including facial expressions and postures of the body. It is the first language of many deaf North Americans, and one of several communication options available to deaf people. ASL is said to be the fourth most commonly used language in the United States.

American Sign Language (ASL) is a complex signing and body language that is used by the Deaf community in the United States and often English-speaking regions of Canada. It is a complete autonomic language in it's own right. It is the native language of many Deaf men and women, is often the first language of hearing children born into Deaf families.

It bears no real resemblance to BSL, the British Sign Language, beyond the basics, something not realised by the majority of the non-signing poulation.

ASL shares no grammatical similarities to English and should not be considered in any way to be a broken, mimed, or gestural form of English.

American Sign Language is flourishing and is so extensively used that many colleges, air lines, commercial companies, and educational institutions recognize it as a second language. Some high schools and home school associations accept ASL as a foreign language credit, right alongside Spanish, French, and German. Those who sign can find professional fields in many areas, including science, law, community, and education.

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