TheOracle
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No. This is something we've discussed in this forum over a long time. ASL is absolutely not a spoken language. It is signed. There is a completely different syntax and grammar to it than any other language.
You would write and speak English the same. You would write and speak Hebrew the same. However, you cannot write and speak ASL the same. You do not "speak" ASL.
And just because we reference to it as being signed doesn't mean it requires less skill than speaking. If you're worried about semantics in terms of "speaking" and "signing" languages, you can simply refer to that person as being bilingual (or trilingual or however many languages that person is proficient in.)
Your last sentence "she signs ASL and she's learning English" could easily be re-phrased as "she's learning two languages, ASL and English".
Um, yes. I study linguistics. I know that ASL is not a spoken language. I know the syntax is different. I also know that the parts of your brain activated when a native is signing is similar to what native Chinese speakers incur when reading Chinese characters.
I never said it required less skill that signing. And typically educators prefer to say something neutral, like the phrase you mentioned - "she's learning two languages, ASL and English" so they don't get cross remarks. But if I do say something like, "Abby signs ASL and Jessica speaks Spanish" there is a subtle inference - even if it's not intended - that one is superior. It's how a hearing-dominated world works.
If you really want to get into semantics, does this mean I can't say, "Listen to me!" in this forum? Because if you really want to change what hearing people think about dhh, you need to drop some of the silly.