It’s Black History Month! 🎉 Every February, we take time to honor the achievements, culture, and contributions of Black Americans throughout history.
Language is a huge part of culture, shaping how we express ourselves and connect with our communities. For example, African American English—sometimes called Black English, Ebonics or African American Vernacular English—is a well-recognized linguistic variety that developed within Black communities. It has distinct grammar, vocabulary, and expressions rooted in history and cultural identity.
But have you ever wondered—does American Sign Language (ASL) have dialects too? 🧐
Just like spoken languages, ASL has variations influenced by region, culture, and history. One of the most significant dialects is Black American Sign Language (BASL).
✨ What is Black ASL?
Black ASL is a distinct variety of ASL that developed due to racial segregation in Deaf education. Before schools integrated in the mid-1900s, Black and white Deaf students were educated separately. This meant that the two groups had limited interaction.
Over time, Black Deaf communities developed their own unique signing style, passing it down through generations. Today, Black ASL remains an important part of both Deaf culture and Black culture. Here’s how to fingerspell BASL, which stands for Black ASL:
How is Black ASL different from ASL?
🔹 Two-Handed Signs: Some BASL signs, like “DON’T-KNOW,” use two hands instead of one.
🔹 Larger Signing Space: BASL tends to use broader movements and a larger signing area than standard ASL.
🔹 Unique Vocabulary: Just like dialects of spoken English have their own words and phrases, BASL has signs unique to the Black Deaf community.
🔹 More Facial Expressions: Non-manual markers (like head tilts and facial expressions) tend to be more prominent in BASL.
🔹 Influence from Black English: BASL reflects some cultural expressions, rhythm, and structure found in Black English.
Now that you’ve discovered how rich and dynamic ASL is, why stop here? Download ASL Bloom and start learning ASL now! Keep learning, keep signing, and keep growing. 💙🤟🏽
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