Which statement about the relationship between sign systems and ASL is true?

Which statement about the relationship between sign systems and ASL is true?

• A. Sign systems borrow elements such as prosody and facial grammar.
• B. They are completely separate with no overlap.
• C. ASL is not used in sign systems.
• D. Sign systems are superior to ASL.

Answer: (A)

Sign systems and ASL share a practical connection: sign systems often draw on ASL features to convey meaning. In ASL, prosody and facial grammar—such as eyebrow positioning, mouth movements, eye gaze, and head tilts—function as important grammatical markers that help signal questions, negation, emphasis, and relationships between ideas. When educators use sign systems, they typically borrow ASL signs and also incorporate these same facial-grammar cues to express grammatical nuances, even if the overall structure follows English. That’s why the statement about sign systems borrowing elements like prosody and facial grammar is the best description of their relationship. The other ideas don’t fit because sign systems aren’t entirely separate from ASL, and ASL is often used within them rather than excluded. It’s not accurate to claim ASL isn’t used in sign systems, nor to claim that sign systems are inherently superior to ASL; ASL is a natural language with its own grammar, while sign systems are tools that may incorporate ASL features to support communication and literacy.

Sign systems and ASL share a practical connection: sign systems often draw on ASL features to convey meaning. In ASL, prosody and facial grammar—such as eyebrow positioning, mouth movements, eye gaze, and head tilts—function as important grammatical markers that help signal questions, negation, emphasis, and relationships between ideas. When educators use sign systems, they typically borrow ASL signs and also incorporate these same facial-grammar cues to express grammatical nuances, even if the overall structure follows English. That’s why the statement about sign systems borrowing elements like prosody and facial grammar is the best description of their relationship.

The other ideas don’t fit because sign systems aren’t entirely separate from ASL, and ASL is often used within them rather than excluded. It’s not accurate to claim ASL isn’t used in sign systems, nor to claim that sign systems are inherently superior to ASL; ASL is a natural language with its own grammar, while sign systems are tools that may incorporate ASL features to support communication and literacy.