The Structure of Sign Language: A Summary

Simply put, this article is a brief synopsis of how sign language, specifically American Sign Language (ASL), is ordered. This article deals with the characteristics of handshapes, orientation, location, movement, and nonmanual signals.

Most speaking people would assume that an individual sign is the equivalent of an individual word. This is not entirely true, however. A sign can represent general concepts, where the specific concept is deciphered from the context and nonmanual signals that accompany it. The authors, Schein and Stewart, say it best when they state, “A sign is a hand-movement configuration that conveys meaning.” A series of signs may all be identical, except for the fact that the signer’s eyebrows are in a different position. This changes the entire meaning of what was just said. A change in any of the following could result in a different meaning being conveyed: shape of hands, orientation of hands relative to the body and each other, the actual movem...