2006-08-09 05:07:18 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Other - Society & Culture
If ASL Is Used in the United States, How Can It Be Considered a "Foreign" Language?
ASL is indigenous to the United States and parts of Canada. At most universities, however, a language's place of origin has little to do with its status as a foreign language. For example, American Indian languages such as Navajo are accepted in fulfillment of university foreign language requirements. Because many native speakers of the languages studied in our schools live in the United States and were even born here, many programs are beginning to refer to themselves as second language programs rather than foreign language programs.
In recent years, a number of states have passed legislation recognizing American Sign Language (ASL) as a foreign language and permitting high schools and universities to accept it in fulfillment of foreign language requirements for hearing as well as deaf students. As of July 1997, 28 states had passed such legislation, and several community colleges and universities (including Brown, Georgetown, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Purdue, and the University of Washington) accept ASL as a foreign language for academic or elective credit.
2006-08-09 05:20:50 · answer #1 · answered by Samuella SilverSelene 3 · 4⤊ 2⤋
There are many forms of sign language and most cultures have their own. I do not know if counts as a foreign language for college credit, but in American American Sign Language is the third most popular language spoken.
2006-08-09 05:17:48 · answer #2 · answered by Preacher 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I don't think so since deaf mutes use it here and I believe it was developed here in the US. If used in a foreign country then i guess you could say it was a foreign language in that country but it is one of the languages that is pretty much international
2006-08-09 05:17:39 · answer #3 · answered by dmxdragon2 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Yes, it does.
Did you know that ASL is more like French Sign Language than it is like English? That's because French people came up with the system and shared it with Americans first.
2006-08-09 05:24:25 · answer #4 · answered by GreenEyedLilo 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I took ASL in college for my foreign language credit.
2006-08-09 05:12:07 · answer #5 · answered by Girl Wonder 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
my step son took it in highschool for a foreign language credit
2006-08-09 05:17:21 · answer #6 · answered by bunniek420 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes. If it is a language that you are not familiar with, then it is a foreign language.
2006-08-09 05:15:54 · answer #7 · answered by alicias06 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋