Discover the World of ASL: Top 11 Fun Facts You Never Knew About American Sign Language

1. Vineyard Origins of ASL

Who knew vineyard life could be so hands-on? Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, wasn't only just churning out fine wine, but serving up a delicious cocktail of linguistic acrobatics back in the 1700s: ASL, or American Sign Language, was born from a fusion of French Sign Language and the local sign language used by the high population of deaf residents on the island. Thanks to Laurent Clerc, a teacher at the American Asylum for the Instruction of Deaf and Dumb Persons, ASL quickly went from classroom chatter to becoming the domestic language du jour.
Source => mitel.com

2. Koko: ASL-Speaking Gorilla

Forget the Planet of the Apes, we had the ASL Ambassador of the Apes: Koko, the western lowland gorilla, boasted an incredible understanding and ability to communicate using sign language. With over 2,000 words of spoken English comprehension and a vocabulary of more than 1,000 signs, she highlighted not only the emotional and intellectual prowess of her fellow great apes, but also raised awareness about their endangerment and seriously questioned who was more eloquent – Koko or some humans.
Source => nationalgeographic.com

Did you know that ballet dancers spin like human Beyblades while performing the dizzying 32 fouetté turns on pointe? Icons 💃⚡🌀 Even legends like Margot Fonteyn have had their off days!

=> Fun Facts about Ballet

3. Baby Sign Language Benefits

Whoever said "silence is golden" never met a six-month-old signing machine: Teaching infants Baby Sign Language, a simplified version of American Sign Language (ASL), results in benefits like earlier speech, larger vocabularies, better grades in school, a 12-point IQ advantage over non-signing peers, and increased language skills and confidence.
Source => babysignlanguage.com

4. ASL and FSL: Long-Lost Cousins

Lend me your ears, or better yet, your hands: American Sign Language (ASL) and French Sign Language (FSL) are more like long-lost cousins than siblings! Their common ancestor, Old French Sign Language, journeyed across the Atlantic with Laurent Clerc as he helped establish the American School for the Deaf. Over time, ASL grew up and found its own identity by mingling with local American sign languages, resulting in a unique linguistic concoction ready to blow minds and jazz hands alike.
Source => gallaudet.edu

5. Deaf-Friendly Mountain Retreat

Pitch your tents and sign your jokes – it's time for a Deaf-initely hilarious and adventurous getaway in the mountains: Camp Mark Seven is a retreat center designed specifically for deaf, hard of hearing, and KODA/CODA individuals, providing communication access and outdoor activities like hiking, kayaking, canoeing, and swimming in the scenic Adirondack Mountains of New York.
Source => campmark7.org

6. Abbe de L'Epee: Deaf Education Pioneer

When the esteemed Abbe de L'Epee wasn't busy being the Clark Kent of Enlightenment-era Paris, he was making monumental strides for the Deaf community: In his superhero efforts, he opened the first free public school for deaf children in 1771, known as the National Institute for Deaf Children of Paris, and created a standardized signed language that became the foundation for modern sign languages.
Source => startasl.com

7. ASL Adapts to Modern Slang

When life hands you an ASL artist, a student, and some modern slang, you can bet your bottom dollar a sign language showdown is going down in the land of photobombs and selfies: The evolution of American Sign Language is highly democratic, as when faced with trendy words like "photobomb" or "selfie," ASL artist Douglas Ridloff and his student each created different signs due to ASL's non-linear nature and developed new signs through considerations of subject, context, and complexity, ensuring the sign is eventually welcomed into the ASL slang lexicon.
Source => thecut.com

8. ASL Slam: Sign Language Poetry Nights

Step aside, Shakespeare; the signing stars are taking center stage: ASL Slam, a non-profit organization born in New York City in 2005, has transformed the typical poetry night into a vibrant and expressive playground for the Deaf and DeafBlind community to rap, rhapsodize, and rehash using American Sign Language (ASL). From Beantown to the Windy City, this literary movement has created a cultural brand for sign language performers, with monthly events across the nation and esteemed artists from around the globe, redefining the art of wordless prose.
Source => aslslam.org

9. ASL's Regional Variations

Hold onto your hats and monocles, folks, for American Sign Language is as colorful as a Floridian flamingo on roller skates, and as unique as those crazy kids in Brooklyn who only drink artisanal kombucha: ASL boasts regional variations in vocabulary and syntax, sharing core grammatical and linguistic features that make it an exceptional and intricate visual language.
Source => asl-kids.com

10. The Gallaudet Dance Company

Ready to bust a move in silence? Shake a leg with some stealthy performers at the loudest mute party in town: Meet the Gallaudet Dance Company, an ensemble of talented deaf and hard-of-hearing students at Gallaudet University that's been captivating audiences since 1955 with their mesmerizing storytelling through American Sign Language.
Source => gallaudet.edu

11. Deaflympics: Visual Cues for Athletes

Ever wondered how Deaf athletes tune out the competition? They've got their own version of comedy-killer eye-rolls called "Deaflympic eye-waves": Athletes must have a hearing loss of at least 55 decibels in their better ear to qualify for the Deaflympics, and they cannot use hearing aids during the events. Instead, they rely on visual cues like flag waving and flashing lights to communicate and compete at the highest levels.
Source => lifeprint.com