In my current WIP, I have a character who has a severe speech impediment and uses American Sign Language (ASL). After doing of research (author research rabbit hole alert!), and taking some classes to learn the basics, I thought I would share some info for any authors looking into the subject.
History
Sign language has existed in some form for as long as humans have needed to communicate without speech. References to hand-based communication date back to at least the 5th century BCE, when Plato’s Cratylus recorded Socrates imagining how people without voices might “make signs by moving our hands, head, and the rest of our body.” Throughout history, various communities developed their own systems — from monastic sign codes in medieval Europe, used by monks under vows of silence, to the complex Plains Indian Sign Language in North America, which served as a lingua franca for trade and storytelling among diverse tribes.
The first documented efforts to formally educate deaf individuals began in the Renaissance. In 16th‑century Spain, figures like Pedro Ponce de León and Juan Pablo Bonet pioneered teaching methods that combined manual alphabets with reading and writing. Bonet’s 1620 publication included one of the earliest known manual alphabets, laying groundwork for structured sign language education.
In the 18th century, French priest Abbé Charles-Michel de l’Épée founded the world’s first free public school for the deaf in Paris. He learned signs from his students and blended them into a system for teaching French, which evolved into French Sign Language (LSF). When American educator Thomas Gallaudet met Laurent Clerc, a deaf teacher from France, in the early 19th century, they brought LSF to the United States, where it merged with local sign systems to form ASL. Today, sign languages around the world are recognized as fully developed, natural languages — each with its own grammar, vocabulary, and cultural significance
How to Write in Sign
When your character communicates in sign language, you’re not just translating words — you’re capturing an entire visual language with its own rhythm, grammar, and emotional depth. Done well, it can add authenticity, representation, and richness to your story. Done poorly, it can feel clunky, confusing, or even disrespectful.
Step 1: Decide How You’ll Represent the Signs in Text
There’s no single “right” way, but you should be consistent. Common approaches include:
| Approach | Example | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quoted speech | “I’m fine,” she signed. | Smooth reading flow; treats sign as equal to spoken dialogue. | May blur the fact that it’s signed, not spoken. |
| Italics | I’m fine, she signed. | Visually distinct; easy to spot. | Overuse of italics can be tiring. |
| Brackets | [I’m fine], she signed. | Clear visual cue for sign language. | Can feel mechanical or intrusive. |
Tip: If your story has both spoken and signed dialogue, choose a style that helps readers instantly tell them apart.
Step 2: Show the Physicality of Signing
Sign language is visual and spatial. You can enrich your scene by occasionally describing:
- Facial expressions — crucial in ASL and many other sign languages for tone and grammar.
Her brows furrowed as she signed the question. - Body movement — leaning forward, shifting stance, or using both hands differently.
He signed quickly, his hands a blur. - Pauses and pacing — a slow, deliberate sign can carry weight.
She hesitated, then signed each word with care.
Avoid over-describing every sign — it can bog down the scene. Sprinkle in details for emphasis or emotional beats.
Step 3: Convey Tone and Emotion
Just like spoken dialogue, signed conversation has subtext. You can show:
- Intensity — He jabbed the air with each sign.
- Gentleness — Her hands moved in small, careful arcs.
- Sarcasm or humor — He signed with exaggerated flourishes, grinning.
Step 4: Respect the Language
- Research the specific sign language your character uses (ASL, BSL, Auslan, etc.). They are not interchangeable.
- Avoid “translating” signs word-for-word into awkward English. Instead, convey the intended meaning in natural prose. Most people do not know that the order of words are different in sign, and “unnecessary” words are often dropped from sentences.
- If your character must use sign because of some disability, portray them as a full, complex person — not defined solely by their communication method.
Step 5: Integrate Seamlessly Into the Scene
Instead of breaking the flow with constant “she signed” tags, vary your structure:
- Combine action beats: She signed a quick hello while reaching for her coffee.
- Use context: If everyone in the scene is signing, you can drop the tag after establishing it.
Example in Practice
[I’m not going,] she signed, her hands sharp and deliberate.
He frowned, replying in slower, rounded movements. [You promised.]
She looked away, fingers still. The silence between them felt heavier than words.
Want to Know More? Learn Some ASL
I don’t have any family members or close friends who use sign, so I had to turn to the Internet.
You can find individual words here at Hand Speak. Quizlet has some handy flashcards for ASL swear words.
If you want to really dig in deep, I would recommend you take some online classes to actually see how ASL works. Start ASL has tons of stuff, and you can find that here. Plus, it can be very useful out in real life.
Final Thoughts
Writing sign language dialogue is about more than swapping “said” for “signed.” It’s about honoring a rich, visual language and making it feel alive on the page. With thoughtful choices in formatting, description, and tone, you can give readers a vivid sense of the conversation — even without a single spoken word.
