Chapter 20: Should ASL Count as a Foreign Language?

Well I certainly think it should; I'm taking it for my foreign language.  The only argument of the list presented (ASL is not a language; ASL is not foreign; ASL has no culture; ASL has no literature) that I think has any worth is the ASL has no literature argument simply because it is the only argument on that list which is remotely true.  I think the writers' claims that it could eventually develop a written form are a little far-fetched.  If the deaf community deviated from English as their system to communicate through writing and reading, they would completely seal themselves off from communicating with the English-speaking world, and that is a rather lonely idea as there is not exactly a plentiful number of ASL users to communicate with.  There is also the point that it is simply easier to not change things and continue to read and write in English.  I think it is silly to say that it does not count as a foreign language simply because there is no widely-used written form, however.  Not having to include literature in the curriculum gives more time to more thoroughly learn the key interactive communication components to the language.