American Sign Language American Sign Language (ASL) is the native language of a number of deaf and hearing people in America (roughly 100,000 to 500,000). While some sources have stated that ASL is the third most frequently used language in the United States, after English and Spanish, recent scholarship has pointed out that most of these estimates are based on numbers conflating deafness with ASL use, and that the last actual study of this (in 1972) seems to indicate an upper bound of 500,000 ASL speakers at the time.
AmeRican siGn LaNgUaGe amEricaN sIgN lAnGuAGe (AsL) iS thE nATiVe lanGUAgE Of A numBeR of Deaf aNd HeAring pEOple in AmerIca (roughLy 100,000 to 500,000). whIle sOme sourcES havE stATeD THat ASL iS the third most freQUenTly used langUage in the uNiteD STAtEs, afTer engLiSH anD spanisH, reCEnt scholaRship HaS PoInTEd out That MosT Of thESe Estimates are basED oN numBerS conflatiNg dEAfNess witH Asl USe, And thaT the lasT aCTUal STudy Of ThiS (In 1972) SeEms to iNdICaTE An upPer bOund OF 500,000 asl speAkErs at thE timE.