Definition of American sign language

1. Noun. The sign language used in the United States.

Exact synonyms: Asl
Terms within: Finger Alphabet, Manual Alphabet
Generic synonyms: Sign Language, Signing

Definition of American sign language

1. Proper noun. a language that uses hands, facial expressions, and other bodily behavior to communicate both concrete and abstract ideas; some signs are based on English words, but ASL syntax and grammar are not based on English. ISO 639-3 code: ase. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Lexicographical Neighbors of American Sign Language

American plane
American pulsatilla
American quaking aspen
American raspberry
American rattlebox
American red elder
American red plum
American red squirrel
American redstart
American robin
American robins
American rock brake
American sable
American saddle horse
American shrew mole
American sign language (current term)
American smelt
American smokewood
American smooth dogfish
American spelling
American spellings
American spicebush
American spikenard
American state
American sweet chestnut
American sweet gum
American sweetgum
American sweetgums
American sycamore

Literary usage of American sign language

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. American Annals of the Deaf by Conference of Executives of American Schools for the Deaf (1911)
"Had they secured a place in our American sign language they would have added greatly to its power of expressing the higher reaches of thought, but they must ..."

2. Opportunity 2000: Creative Affirmative Action Strategies for a Changing (1988)
"... supervisors and key employees to take a course in American sign language. Supervisors and other personnel at Jersey Central Power and Light Company take ..."

3. The Association Review by American Association to Promote the Teaching of Speech to the Deaf (1900)
"The American sign language is the most complete which exists, and consequently rather difficult to acquire; so that it would take a deaf person a ..."

4. Handbook of Severe Disability: A Text for Rehabilitation Counselors, Other edited by Walter C. Stolov, Michael R. Clowers (2000)
"Languages may be transmitted by speech, hand signals, or print. Thus, American Sign Language (Ameslan) is indeed a language, though it is not spoken. ..."

5. Substance Use Disorder Treatment for People with Physical and Cognitive by Dennis Moore (2000)
"Even if they have an interpreter to assist them, many 12- Step terms are foreign to American sign language and require very competent signing to translate. ..."

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