First, we’re back! August was a bit of a vacation month with exciting things happening at ASLdeafined, which you’ll be hearing about via our upcoming newsletter and blogs. Meanwhile though, did you know that American Sign Language, just with any other language, changes over time? This can really Jargogle people, especially first time learners. But wait… JARGOGLE? That is an obsolete English term meaning “To confuse, jumble.” Sure, just when you learned the original sign for Australia, which referenced the traditional Australian cattle hat that many from that country wear, you find out it has since been changed to something resembling kangaroos! WHY? Well, for starters, times change. Just like the spoken word contains vocabulary that is later considered offensive, so does sign language. Often some of the now defunct terms focused on facial features associated with a specific group or cultural stereotype. Besides that, people are always evolving and coming up with new and creative ways to express themselves.
So hey! Why not change with the times and learn the latest in ASL by visiting our Website and learning some fresh words today? Not sure what those are? Comment on this post and we’ll see what we can do about adding some content to address the fun side of ASL with slang and other emerging signs.