Chapter 18: The Sign Language Spectrum

I found the idea of Sign Language as a spectrum quite interesting.

"Think of a broad arc.  On the right are the 'pure ASL' users; on the left, the 'pure English' users.  Pidgin Sign English, which borrows features from both ASL and English, would be situated in the middle of the arc, a bit towards the right.  Signed English would be a bit more towards the left.  But both are distinct from ASL."--pg. 123, p. 2

 I would hope that I fall maybe slightly to the left of "pure ASL;" that is what I am aiming for, anyway.  I do not know which of the signs in my vocabulary are derived from Signed English and which are considered pure ASL, so I cannot say which categories of signs I use more, but I do my best to use the ASL syntax.  I am starting to get slightly overwhelmed by the growing number of variations on Sign Language that are being discussed.  I find it amazing that people who use different variations can still communicate with each other.  It's almost like the specific variation you use is part of your style and is flexible to change as opposed to spoken languages where even though accents and dialects may differ, there is not really a spectrum or continuum from one language to another; you have to completely learn a new spoken language from scratch.  I wonder if there is anything more to ASL purists thinking all who sign should use pure ASL other than just superiority, manifest destiny-type attitudes.  I could see in an academic setting being a stickler for ASL, but out in the world that just seems snooty.