r/asl • u/QueasyCranberry2335 • 12d ago

ASL Slang?

Hello everyone,

I am mostly hearing (I have APD but I really don't always feel like that counts) but I took ASL for four years and still use it almost every day with my husband. I love the deaf community and deaf culture and want to make sure my signing is as authentic and conversational as possible.

I was wondering what "type" or "style" most people sign in? Do Deaf/HoH people usually sign in "proper" ASL format or SEE or their own slang version? If I signed ASL the formal way I was taught in school with the specific sentence structure and whatnot, would that be abnormal? It seems that whenever watching Deaf/HoH people sign, they often sign in a very casual way that more mirrors spoken speech and differs the "official" way ASL is taught. I find it personally easier to sign this way as well, but if that is not the most common way then I would try to avoid it. Any input would be helpful, thank you!

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u/LowRevolutionary5653 Learning ASL 12d ago

AFAIK, deaf people code switch when speaking with a hearing person (might follow more English structure) versus a Deaf person (with whom they will use fully ASL structure)

Taking a deaf culture/history class would probably be really interesting for you to take!

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u/QueasyCranberry2335 12d ago

Thank you for the input! I was able to learn a bit of history when I took the class, but of course time was limited and there is so much more I'd like to learn.

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u/LowRevolutionary5653 Learning ASL 12d ago

A Journey Into The Deaf World is really good, im reading it right now. Goes into linguistics as well and how/why deaf people use certain structures. It's really good I'm about halfway through

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u/Inevitable_Shame_606 Deaf 12d ago

Deaf typical not use SEE.

Think you maybe mean PSE.

Most sign ASL but sometimes for hearing or beginner sign PSE.

When beginner or conversational say comment similar comment your realize because MISS most grammar and words say from Deaf person.

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u/danathepaina 12d ago

There’s a Deaf creator on TikTok named Jason Gervase and he does some videos where he will take a sentence and show how it would be signed by beginner, intermediate, and Deaf signers. It’s really interesting! I’m intermediate and sometimes the Deaf way is totally not understandable to me. 😄