Even a brief look at the known sign languages of the world invalidates this
contention. American Sign Language, British Sign Language, Japanese Sign
Language, Danish Sign Language and other sign languages differ from each
other as much as spoken languages differ. A deaf traveler is no more able to
understand the sign language of the country he is visiting than is the hearing
traveler able to understand the spoken language. Deaf people do, however,
enjoy some advantages in their efforts at international communication.

First of all, because they lack a certain inhibition about using gestures and
because they are masters at pantomime, deaf persons from different cultures
are usually able to communicate their basic needs to each other better than
hearing people who speak different languages. In situations where there is no
shared language, deaf persons act out and even describe a person or a thing
without resorting to either spoken or sign language. They communicate
among themselves with remarkable ease, although with reduced efficiency
and less speed than in their own languages. It is this gestural communication
that gives the impression that the deaf have a common sign language.

In some essential ways, deaf people often share more life experiences with
deaf people in other countries than they do with the hearing people in their
own country. The similar world view and values that result from membership
in a common minority group may play a greater role for mutual under-
standing than previously supposed, and a shared language may be less
important.

In addition, certain sign languages, just like some spoken languages, are
historically related. In this way, communication is facilitated across national
boundaries. French Sign Language (FSL) was brought to the United States in
the early 19th century, where it mixed with the sign language used by deaf
Americans previously ( Woodward, 1978). This mixture became the standard
sign language in the United States and parts of Canada. Today, although they
differ greatly from each other, ASL and FSL share some of the same signs and
grammatical features.

American Sign Language is often criticized for being "conceptual" rather
than "word-based. " ASL is in this respect no different from spoken languages,
because the principal function of language is to convey concepts. However, in
a sign language, concepts are represented by signs rather than words. ASL is
not a code for English. It is an independent language in which the signs
directly represent the concepts.

Sign language is the primary language for the majority of deaf adults, the
one used in their everyday lives, outside of work. It is the principal unifying
force for the deaf community, the main symbol of identification among its

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