CULTURAL PERSPECTIVE

 SIMILARITIES

 The cultural similarity between ASL and Written English is their cultural preservation.

• Within the Deaf community, ASL is more than just a language because it helps maintain cultural identity and share stories, humor, and traditions. According to Solutions (2024), sign language preserves its history, values, and traditions by passing them from generation to generation, helping keep the culture strong and united. This transmission often happens between deaf people when they attend school since they are exposed to different materials made from older signs that revolutionized over time and were transmitted through storytelling and education.

For example:

Older versions of the ASL sign for “home” were signed near the cheek, but now the sign is closer to the mouth, and Deaf schools teach these changes so students can learn both the old and new signs to keep the history of language alive.

• Similarly, Written English globally preserves traditions, shares knowledge, and connects people across generations and regions. Like ASL, it helps communities stay connected by passing down literature, historical records, and cultural values that shape their identities. These written forms allow individuals to understand their heritage and keep cultural practices alive, like how ASL preserves Deaf culture through storytelling and shared experiences.

For example:

A family can keep a recipe book to pass it down through generations. The book provides not only instructions for traditional dishes but also stories and memories associated with those meals, keeping the family's culture and traditions alive over time.

DIFFERENCES

 The main cultural difference between ASL and Written English is their connection to their communities.

● ASL is deeply connected to the Deaf community because it values the acquisition process of Deaf culture among its members. Hands & Voices (s. f. -b) states that most people are born into a cultural group where they learn traditions, norms, and values from their parents, but most Deaf children are born to hearing parents and do not automatically learn Deaf culture. Instead, they connect with the Deaf community through education and interaction with other children in live communication spaces. This exposure helps them grow in an environment where they all use ASL and share similar experiences, such as understanding visual communication and participating in Deaf community events.

• On the other hand, unlike ASL, Written English is not connected to a specific community or culture because people have acquired the Written English language through texts from different cultures over generations. According to Yules (2017), ancient civilizations used writing systems like cuneiform and logograms to represent objects and ideas; however, as time passed, they evolved into modern writing systems like the English alphabet. This process continues to increase our knowledge, empathy, and exposure to diverse cultural traditions and styles, helping us connect with people worldwide and develop an international perspective that enriches our personal growth.

For example:  

People can write letters, emails, or books in English from different places at any time and send them to any country, allowing them to communicate across cultures with anyone who speaks and reads the language.