CSET: American Sign Language key terms

A minimal contrastive unit in ASL that distinguishes meaning when substituted, such as handshape, location, or movement. Changing one parameter can produce a different sign, as with MOTHER and FATHER.

One of the structural components that jointly specify a sign: handshape, location, movement, palm orientation, and often nonmanual features. Signs are described by the combination of values across these components.

Two signs that differ in only one parameter yet carry different meanings, used to prove that parameter is contrastive. APPLE and CANDY, differing mainly in location, illustrate this test.

The configuration of the fingers and hand used to form a sign. ASL handshapes range from unmarked forms like the flat hand to complex marked forms, and some carry morphological meaning.

Facial expression, head position, eye gaze, mouth morphemes, and body shifts that accompany manual signs. They can mark sentence type, adverbial meaning, topic, and grammatical relations, and are not merely emotional display.

A conventionalized mouth movement or shape that carries meaning in ASL, such as 'th' for careless action or 'pah' for a sudden event. These are linguistically patterned, not spontaneous facial expressions.

A verb-like construction in which a handshape represents a class of referents and its movement depicts action or location, as when a vehicle classifier shows two cars passing. The handshape functions as a morpheme of category.

A sign whose form iconically represents the shape, path, or handling of an object or action. Depicting verbs are productive and constrained by the real-world properties of what they depict.

A common ASL sentence pattern in which the topic appears first, often marked by raised brows and a pause, followed by a comment about it. For example, the object may be fronted before the predicate.

Specific facial behaviors that signal syntactic structure, such as raised eyebrows for yes/no questions, lowered brows for wh-questions, and head tilt for conditionals. These markers are obligatory parts of the grammar.

The layering of multiple grammatical elements at once in ASL, such as a manual sign produced with a concurrent facial adverb or a body shift marking a role. Meaning is built across channels simultaneously rather than only in sequence.

A discourse device in which a signer shifts body orientation, gaze, or facial expression to portray another person's speech, thought, or action. It functions like reported speech and can be constructed or plain.

The depiction of a referent's actions, thoughts, or feelings through the signer's body and face, without necessarily quoting speech. It is a narrative resource common in ASL storytelling and everyday talk.

The resemblance between a sign's form and its meaning, as when a sign visually suggests an object or action. Iconicity is a property of many signs but does not by itself determine meaning.

The property by which a symbol's form bears no natural resemblance to its referent. Even in a visual language with iconic signs, much of the lexicon and grammar is conventional and arbitrary.

The smallest unit of language that carries meaning. In ASL, morphemes may be whole signs, handshape units within signs, or nonmanual elements such as a mouth morpheme.

A fingerspelled sequence that has become a fixed, sign-like lexical item with its own form and meaning, such as #BACK or #JOB. The spelling is no longer processed letter by letter.

The manual representation of written letters, used for names, technical terms, and loanwords. Fluent fingerspelling involves coarticulation and rhythmic grouping rather than isolated letter production.

A sign borrowed from another signed language or adapted from fingerspelling or another source, then nativized into ASL phonology and morphology. Examples include signs derived from English through initialization.

The use of a handshape corresponding to the first letter of an English word to form or modify a sign, as in FAMILY or GROUP. It is one historical source of new ASL vocabulary.

The claim that language acquisition proceeds most efficiently within an early window and is constrained afterward. Research on deaf signers suggests early exposure supports native-like mastery of signed language grammar.

The condition of lacking full access to a natural language during early childhood, often experienced by deaf children without early sign exposure. It can affect later language, literacy, and cognitive outcomes.

The channel through which a language is produced and perceived, visual-gestural for signed languages and auditory-vocal for spoken ones. Modality shapes form but does not determine linguistic complexity.

A person who acquired a signed language from birth or early childhood through interaction with signing family or community members. Native signers provide a baseline for studying typical ASL development.

Fluency in a signed language and a spoken or written language, using two modalities. Many deaf learners are bimodal bilingual, and this framework informs educational and family language planning.

The flexible, purposeful use of a learner's full linguistic repertoire across signed and written modes. In ASL classrooms it can support meaning-making while target-language norms are also taught.

The natural visual-gestural language used by many Deaf communities in the United States and parts of Canada. It has its own grammar and lexicon and is distinct from English and from other signed languages.

The shared norms, values, art forms, and social practices of Deaf communities, including signed language use, storytelling, and collective advocacy. It is a cultural identity, not a clinical description of hearing loss.

The social network of deaf and hard of hearing people, their families, interpreters, and allies who share signed language and cultural practices. Membership is defined by participation and identity, not audiology alone.

A reframing of deafness as a source of linguistic and cultural contribution rather than solely as deficit. The concept highlights benefits of visual language and Deaf community life to society broadly.

A framework that treats hearing loss as a condition to be diagnosed, treated, or corrected. It contrasts with cultural models that view deaf people as a linguistic minority.

Discrimination or bias favoring hearing people and spoken language over deaf people and signed languages. It can appear in institutional policies, employment practices, and everyday assumptions.

Creative works composed in ASL, including narratives, poetry, and theatrical performance that exploit the visual-gestural medium. It includes both traditional community storytelling and modern authored works.

A signed narrative in which each successive sign begins with the next handshape of the manual alphabet, in order. The form is a traditional ASL literary genre requiring both story sense and handshape control.

A signed narrative built so that successive signs incorporate the numbers one through ten or another sequence. Like ABC stories, it is a traditional genre displaying formal constraint and creativity.

Differences in lexicon or form associated with geographic location, such as distinct signs for the same concept in different parts of the country. It parallels dialect variation in spoken languages.

Systematic differences in language use linked to social factors such as region, age, ethnicity, gender, and audience. In ASL, variation appears in signs, fingerspelling, and discourse style.

A variety of language adjusted to setting, purpose, and audience, ranging from formal to casual. ASL signers shift vocabulary, pace, and nonmanual behavior across registers.

Alternating between languages or language varieties within a conversation or community. Deaf signers may switch among ASL, English-influenced signing, and other signed varieties depending on context.

The ability to use language appropriately across social contexts, not only to form grammatical sentences. For ASL learners it includes register, politeness, turn-taking, and cultural norms of interaction.

A structured evaluation of a learner's signed language ability, often using rating scales or performance tasks. Results inform placement, instruction, and certification decisions.

A scoring guide that describes levels of performance on specified criteria, such as grammar, fluency, and comprehension. Rubrics improve consistency and give learners concrete feedback.

Ongoing checks of learning used to adjust instruction and give feedback, rather than to assign a final grade. In ASL classes it may include peer observation and recorded self-review.