when was asl(american sign language)found and who founded it?
549714
ASL in America\nThe history of ASL is long and rich. Much of its early development, however, remains poorly documented. One reason for this is that, like spoken languages, the early forms of signed languages are not preserved. While we can establish the time and circumstances under which education and thus formal instruction in English and various forms of signing, were brought to deaf people in the United States, we have little idea about the structure of the language which deaf people used prior to this. In spite of the paucity of information about earlier forms of signed language, we should not doubt that deaf people did communicate with each other in a natural signed language. Even before hearing people began to take an interest in their education, we can be sure that deaf people used a signed language.\n\nAmerican Sign Language (ASL) is the visual/gestural language which is the primary means of communication of deaf people in America and parts of Canada. Current estimates are that between 100,000 and 500,000 people use ASL (Padden, 1987). This includes native signers who have learned ASL as their first language from deaf parents, hearing children of deaf parents who also learned ASL as their native language, and fluent signers who have learned ASL from deaf people (Padden, 1987).
777702
Sign language is for the deaf but its good if a person that can hear can learn the basics as we sometimes meet up with people with hearing disabilities. As for taking a long time to learn, not really, First you learn the alphabet using your hand and fingers (helps if your nimble fingered) Then you learn gestures to indicate words. not really hard at all. With practise you can learn the alphabet in a month.
277160
Yes, I've met a few. I always thought it was really amazing how they learnt to communicate with others. They use a form of sign language, like finger-spelling, but can you imagine how hard it must be to teach them the words and their meanings in the first place? Totally amazing people.
70625
That's a great idea. Sign language should be offered as an alternative to any foreign language.
669515
Probably started as an acronym in the 1890s(!!!):\n\n\nhttp://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-spi2.htm
184233
There are many organizations using that name.  Here are some lists for you to look through:\nhttp://www.google.com/search?num=50&hl=en&lr=&q=Deaf+spirit+club&btnG=Search\nand:\nhttp://search.yahoo.com/search?fr=ytff1-&p=deaf%20spirit%20club&ei=UTF-8
660758
Try contacting Betsy Winston at Project TIEM Online, at Northeastern University.  She's in the ASL department.  The phone number is (866) 252-1199. You could also try Carol LeCava at the University of Tennessee.  That number is (865) 974-8495.  Both have distance programs and offer bachelor's for interpreting, but I'm not sure how much is online and how much is correspondence.\n\nI got this information by going to the website for the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID).  The website is located at http://www.rid.org/  \nFor more information on Bachelor's programs in interpreting, go to the website, scroll down and on the right hand side under "General Information" click on "Interpreter Training Programs".  When that page opens, click on "Interpreter Training Program Database".  When that page opens, click on "Search for Interpreter Training Programs".  Enter the info you want into the search engine (for program type, enter Distance).  There will be a bunch of colleges popping up.  I checked them out, but the only two that offer bachelor's degrees (rather than associates) are University of Tennessee and Northeastern University.\n\nGood Luck!\n\nPS - If you have to choose between the two programs, and you're at a draw as to where to go, I would go with the University of Tennessee, as they are certified by the Council on the Education of the Deaf (CED).  CED certification applies more to programs training Teachers of the Deaf, but it's still a very worthy consideration if you're down to the wire and need to choose!
133441
Congregationalist minister and deaf educator Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet is credited with popularizing the signing technique in North America.\n\nGallaudet (for whom the school is named), went to Paris to study sign language at the Abbé de l'Épée school. He convinced educator Laurent Clerc to return to the US with him, and together they founded the American Asylum for the Deaf and Dumb in Hartford, Connecticut in 1817.
75459
Sign language is a communication system using your hands to from letters, words, or express concepts.  It is used to communicate with and by people who are unable to speak or hear.  Sign language can also be used by people who need to communicate silently, like soldiers.  A certain type of "sign language" is also used by referees and umpires to communicate clearly over a long distance or over crowd noise.  Picture an umpire making a "safe" call at home plate.  That is a type of sign language.
34567
Lewis Waterman in 1884\nhttp://inventors.about.com/library/weekly/aa100897.htm
1071576
Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf\n\nThe Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, Inc., (RID) is a national membership organization of professionals who provide sign language interpreting/transliterating services for Deaf and Hard of Hearing persons. Established in 1964
853001
Communication \n... to Word: Considering Modality Constraints in ASL/English Bilingual ... Sign Language (ASL) as a first language and written English as a second language.
419878
ASL is often offered through local colleges. It is very easy to learn and easy to retain. I learned ASL from 3rd through 8th grade as my school had a large deaf population. I still remember a bulk of the signs years later without any practice.
440150
Yes there a ton of different forms of sing language.  In fact just in the US there are multiple kinds (one which is more of a signed English another ASL is a completely different language and way of thinking then English.  It was developed by a French teacher of deaf students and based on his French Sing Language).  Verbal languages are not equivilant in the sense that they are not literal translations from one to another but they show different ways of thinking and different perspectives of the world.  The same is true of sign language.   Also unlike one might believe signed languages are usually not a direction equivalant of the verbal language of the area they are used in but are another language completely.
291139
heres a cool site\nhttp://commtechlab.msu.edu/sites/aslweb/browser.htm \ni also purchased a book from Mickey Flodin called "signing illustrated: the complete learning guide". the book teached u according to events and themes... i recommend if taking classes is too expensive for u
354434
Yes, each country has their own sign language.  In America it is called ASL, and it is actually closer to French sign language than to British sign language.  And the alphabet is different in different countries, for example, the ASL sign for "t" is the same as flicking someone off in British sign language.\n\nI saw one figure that said that there are 114 known sign languages\ncheck out this site: http://faculty.valencia.cc.fl.us/arasmussen/General_Info/glossing_module_writing_unwritten.htm\n\nPoint is, no, it is not a universal language.
583284
You could give presentations about ASL to school groups, church groups, community groups (such as Cubs, Scouts, Girl Guides, etc.), and perhaps if interest is shown, start teaching a class.