No, unfortunately it is not. BTW it is a language in the sense that it is governed by the same innate rules (N. Chompsky´s idea) that spoken languages are. learn it more easily when young etc.Is sign language pretty standard the world over? If it is, why aren't we all taught it?
Is sign language pretty standard the world over? If it is, why aren't we all taught it?
Nonetheless, each sign language is based upon the spoken language of its people. E.g., in English and Russian adjectives precede their nouns, in Spanish and Greek they follow them.No, unfortunately it is not. BTW it is a language in the sense that it is governed by the same innate rules (N. Chompsky´s idea) that spoken languages are.
Nonetheless, each sign language is based upon the spoken language of its people. E.g., in English and Russian adjectives precede their nouns, in Spanish and Greek they follow them...
...Considering that they've taught ASL to two other species of apes, it is rather surprising that more humans don't learn it. I can't believe there aren't times when it would be handy. Scuba diving, sitting on a turboprop commuter airliner, flirting with the chicas in the car in the next lane, band members trying to tell the roadies what they need, etc.
Actually, I think I'm wrong about that although it's not easy to figure out. According to Wikipedia American Sign Language was adapted from French Sign Language, and about 60% of the symbols are mutually comprehensible. (British Sign Language, on the other hand, was developed independently and is totally unintelligible to Americans.) I gather that French Sign Language was based on a sign language that was already in use within the deaf community in France. Since literacy was far from universal in earlier times, I can't figure out whether this sign language was based at all on the written language around them--and therefore is recognizably "French"--or if it was totally a priori.Oh, I didn't know that. I thought ASL was a language of its own, not based on another language's rules.
Many of my friends taught their babies sign language. They were communicating effectively way before their 9-month birthday. It's pretty awesome to watch.