what is american sign language

American Sign Language (ASL) is a complete, natural language that has the same linguistic properties as spoken languages, with grammar that differs from English. It is expressed by movements of the hands and face and is the primary language of many North Americans who are deaf and hard of hearing. ASL is a visual language, and the brain processes linguistic information through the eyes. It has its own unique rules of grammar and syntax, and like any spoken language, it is a living language that grows and changes over time. ASL is used predominantly in the United States and in many parts of Canada. It is important to note that there is no universal sign language, and different sign languages are used in different countries or regions. ASL originated in the early 19th century in the American School for the Deaf in Hartford, Connecticut, and has since become the predominant sign language of Deaf communities in the United States and most of Anglophone Canada. ASL is also widely learned as a second language, serving as a lingua franca.