Imagine growing up in a home where no one else uses sign language.
You still need to communicate about food, feelings, school, and the world around you. So you start inventing your own signs.
Over time, your family understands them. Your gestures become consistent. They become your language.
This is how home signs are born.
For many Deaf children, home signs are not just gestures. They are the first step toward language itself.
What are home signs?
Home signs are communication systems created by Deaf or hard-of-hearing individuals who do not have access to a formal sign language like ASL.
Unlike American Sign Language, home signs are:
- Created within a single family or household
- Not standardized across communities
- Often understood only by close family members
- Developed naturally, without formal instruction
Why do home signs exist?
Home signs often emerge when Deaf children:
- Are born to hearing parents who do not know sign language
- Do not have early access to Deaf schools or signing communities
- Receive delayed language exposure
Research in linguistics and Deaf education shows that many Deaf children worldwide experience language deprivation in early childhood. In these situations, home signs become a powerful tool for communication.
But home signs are not the same as full languages.
Home Signs vs. American Sign Language
American Sign Language is a fully developed natural language with:
- Grammar
- Syntax
- Morphology
- A large community of users
- Historical roots and cultural identity
Home signs, by contrast, are more limited and individualized.
Even so, studies show that home signers often create consistent patterns that resemble grammatical structures, which is evidence of the human brain’s natural drive to build language.
A Brief History of Home Signs in Linguistics
Linguists began seriously studying home signs in the late 20th century, particularly in Deaf communities.
Researchers observed that Deaf children using home signs often developed:
- Stable sign forms for common objects and actions
- Consistent word order
- Ways to express time, negation, and questions
- Gesture systems that grew more complex over time
These findings helped scientists understand how language can emerge even without formal teaching.
Home signs have also played an important role in the development of new sign languages around the world.
From Home Signs to Community Languages
When multiple home signers come together, something remarkable can happen.
If Deaf children using home signs meet in schools or communities, their individual systems can merge and evolve into a shared language.
This process has contributed to the creation of several sign languages globally.
Example: Language Emergence
When Deaf students gathered in early Deaf schools in the United States, their home signs blended with other signing systems. Over time, these interactions contributed to the development of American Sign Language.
The Role of Deaf Schools
Deaf schools have historically been crucial spaces where home signers encounter formal sign languages. At these schools language becomes standardized and peer-to-peer signing flourishes. This is also where Deaf culture is passed down across generations.
For many Deaf individuals, entering a Deaf school marks the transition from home signs to ASL.
This shift often transforms not only communication but identity, education, and community belonging.
Home Signs and Deaf Identity
Home signs are deeply personal. They reflect family relationships, cultural context, creativity, and survival in communication.
However, relying solely on home signs can also limit access to education, literacy, and social connection.
This is why early access to sign language is widely recognized as essential for Deaf children’s cognitive and social development.
Modern Perspectives: Home Signs Today
Today, educators and advocates emphasize early ASL exposure, family sign language education, and inclusive bilingual approaches (ASL + English).
At the same time, linguists continue to study home signs to better understand how languages form, how children create grammar, and the relationship between gesture and language.
Home signs remind us that language is not only taught, it is invented, shaped, and lived.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are home signs the same as ASL?
No. Home signs are individual, informal systems, while ASL is a fully developed language used by a large community.
Do all Deaf children use home signs?
Not all. Children with early access to ASL or Deaf communities may not rely on home signs.
Can home signs become a real language?
On their own, home signs are not full languages, but when shared among many users, they can contribute to the development of new sign languages.
Are home signs used only in the U.S.?
No. Home signs appear worldwide wherever Deaf individuals lack access to formal sign language.
