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=Variation=

When looking at variations it needs to be kept in mind that different groups of people do not always sign one way and not the other, rather they prefer and use a particular form of a sign more often. Furthermore, each individual signer has their own style of signing depending on various factors, such as where they went to school, if they were mainstreamed (see Mainstreaming (education)), who taught them ASL, at what age they learned ASL, and how active they are in the Deaf Community.

The American Sign Language used in different regions across North America reflects the spoken language around them. This may include the speed of their signing and names for local places.

Regional Variation in Canada
According to The Canadian Dictionary of ASL there are five broad regions of ASL variation in Canada, the Pacific, Prairie, Ontario, Quebec, and Atlantic regions.

Regional lexical variation
Throughout these regions only lexical variations have been explored. For example the word learn can be signed two different ways. There is the standard way to sign the word learn that seems to be used by most signers of ASL in Canada and there is also an Atlantic regional variation. Another example is about which has three different ways of signing it including the standard way and two regional variations (Atlantic and Ontario). The videos on the right hand side of the page highlight the different ways to sign the word about.



Regional Variation in the United States
ASL has many regional and subcultural varieties and accents. "Just as there are accents in speech, there are regional accents in sign. People from the South sign slower than people in the North—even people from northern and southern Indiana have different styles."

Lexical variation
The most obvious regional difference is in local signs. For example, there are more than six signs for birthday in ASL, just as in English one can say couch and sofa, or soda and pop, to mean the same thing.

Phonological variation
According to Lucas, Bayley, and Valli, each sign has a handshape (see handshape section in American Sign Language grammar) and these handshapes can resemble signs of numbers or letters. Some signs that are created with a 1 handshape can also be made using an L or a 5 handshape (open handshape). There is a variation among regions in the United States when it comes to which handshape signers prefer to use. Signers from California, Missouri, Massachusetts and Louisiana favor the 1 handshape over the L handshape and open handshape, while signers from Maryland, Washington and Virginia prefer the L handshape and open handshape over the 1 handshape.

Black American Sign Language
Black sign language is influenced by African American English (AAE). This is especially evident in the younger Black deaf community, with use of signs for AAE words like my bad and whassup. This is a language contact feature.

History
Black ASL evolved out of racial segregation in the United States, especially in the South. While White and Black children were both instructed in ASL, only Black teachers were permitted to instruct Black deaf children. Black sign language was born out of this isolation. This isolation, as well as minimal adult input, contributed to the fact that Black Sign Language displays traditional sign language elements as well as the adoption of words used by younger hearing Black people.

Phonological variation
Black sign language speakers prefer to use two hands opposed to one, for example: remember. Black sign language speakers are also more likely to sign higher on the body. A sign that may be lowered to the cheek level by an ASL speaker is more likely to be produced by a Black Sign Language speaker on the forehead, for example: teacher.

Lexical variation
The sign for rabbit provides a good example of variation between Black and White Signers. While both communities use the forehead location and neutral space location with the H handshape, Black signers also have a separate sign for rabbit, with a bent V handshape and different hand movement.


 * Bailey, C. S. & Dolby, K. (2002). The Canadian dictionary of ASL. Edmonton, AB: The University of Alberta Press.
 * Lucas, C., Bayley, B., & Valli, C. (2003). What’s your sign for pizza?: An introduction to variation in American Sign Language. Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press.
 * Hill, J. & Lucas, C. (2009). A Presence Ignored: The Case of the Black Deaf Community in the US [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from http://blackaslproject.gallaudet.edu/BlackASLProject/Presentations_files/SienaPresenceBAP%282%29.pdf
 * McCaskill, C., Lucas, C., Hill, J. & Bayley, R. (2010). The Intersection of African-American English and Black ASL [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from http://blackaslproject.gallaudet.edu/BlackASLProject/Presentations_files/AAL2BlackASL.pdf
 * Solomon, A. (2010). Cultural and Sociolinguistic Features of the Black Deaf Community.(Honors Thesis). Retrieved from http://repository.cmu.edu/hsshonors/62/