Have you ever paused to wonder where a new word like “doomscrolling” or “rizz” comes from? Spoken languages are in a constant state of flux, absorbing new ideas and coining new terms to describe our changing world. But what about languages that are seen and not heard? How does a visual language like American Sign Language (ASL) invent a sign for “COVID-19,” “cryptocurrency,” or “selfie”?

The answer is a beautiful testament to human linguistic creativity. ASL is not a static collection of gestures or a manual code for English; it is a complete and complex language with its own grammar, syntax, and, most importantly, its own vibrant mechanisms for growth. New signs are constantly being born through a fascinating process of logic, artistry, and community consensus.

Let’s explore the dynamic ways ASL expands its vocabulary.

Building with Old Blocks: The Power of Compounding

One of the most common and logical ways new signs are created is through compounding. Much like English combines “sun” and “flower” to create “sunflower,” ASL joins two or more existing signs to form a new concept. The resulting compound sign often has a meaning that is more specific than the sum of its parts.

This process is wonderfully intuitive. Consider these classic examples:

• BREAKFAST: The sign for EAT + the sign for MORNING.
• BELIEVE: The sign for THINK + the sign for MARRY (to join with an idea).
• BIBLE: The sign for JESUS + the sign for BOOK.

As technology and culture evolve, so do the compounds. A perfect modern example is the sign for FACEBOOK. It was created by logically combining the sign for FACE and the sign for BOOK. When these signs are combined, they often undergo subtle changes—the movements become smoother and more connected, blending into a single, fluid new sign.

What You See Is What You Get: Iconicity and Invention

While many ASL signs are abstract, iconicity—where a sign visually resembles the thing it represents—is a powerful tool for innovation. When a new object or action appears, one of the most straightforward ways to describe it is to simply show it. This is not crude pantomime, but a structured linguistic process using the established parameters of ASL (handshape, location, movement, palm orientation, and non-manual signals).

Think about these iconic signs:

• HOUSE: The hands literally outline the roof and walls of a simple house.
• DRINK: A “C” handshape is brought to the mouth as if holding a cup.
• BALL: The curved hands show the shape of a ball.

This same principle is used to create signs for brand new technologies. Early signs for TEXTING involved mimicking typing with two thumbs on a phone. The now-common sign for SELFIE clearly shows a person holding a phone, extending their arm, and clicking the button. A sign for a DRONE might show a flat handshape representing the device hovering and moving through the air. These iconic signs are often so clear that even a non-signer might guess their meaning.

The Art of the Borrow: Fingerspelling and Loan Signs

What about concepts that are difficult to represent visually, like abstract nouns or proper names? This is where ASL’s relationship with English comes into play through the manual alphabet. Fingerspelling allows a signer to spell out an English word letter by letter.

Initially, a new concept might be fully fingerspelled. For example, when the internet was new, people would have spelled out I-N-T-E-R-N-E-T. But fingerspelling a long word repeatedly is inefficient. Over time, a process called lexicalization occurs, turning a fingerspelled word into a “loan sign”.

During this process, the spelling is shortened, and it takes on its own unique rhythm and movement, transforming it from a collection of letters into a single, cohesive sign. Letters might be dropped, and the movement between the remaining letters becomes fluid and standardized.

You can see this clearly in established loan signs:

• #JOB: The letters J and B are signed quickly, with the B twisting outward.
• #CAR: The letters C-A-R are shortened into a small, fluid movement.
• #BACK: The letters B and K are signed in quick succession.

This is a primary way that ASL incorporates English terms, adapting them to fit its own phonological and morphological rules.

Old Signs, New Tricks: Semantic Shift

Sometimes, a new sign isn’t needed at all. Instead, an existing sign can have its meaning extended or adapted to fit a new context. This is called semantic shift. The sign for WRITE, for instance, has been adapted over the years. By changing the movement or location, it can mean TYPE on a keyboard or even POST on social media.

A classic example is the sign for PHONE. The original sign used a “Y” handshape (thumb to ear, pinky to mouth) to represent an old-fashioned telephone receiver. While this sign is still understood, a new sign has become popular for “cell phone,” which involves holding a flat hand to the side of the head. The older sign is still used, but its meaning might shift to a more general concept of “calling”.

The Ultimate Authority: Community Adoption

Perhaps the most crucial aspect of sign creation is that it’s a deeply democratic, community-driven process. There is no “ASL Academy” or official committee that approves new signs. A person can invent a clever new sign, but it means nothing if no one else uses it.

New signs are proposed, debated, and tested in the real world—at schools for the Deaf, in vlogs, at community events, and on social media. When the COVID-19 pandemic began, several different signs for the virus emerged simultaneously. One was based on the shape of the coronavirus particle, while another combined the sign for SICK with the letter “C.” Over time, through widespread use, one or two versions become dominant while others fade away. The community votes with its hands.

This process ensures that new signs are not only logical and linguistically sound but also culturally relevant and accepted by the people who use the language every day. It’s a living, breathing example of language evolution in action, highlighting the ingenuity and resilience of the Deaf community and the beautiful complexity of ASL.