--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: American Sign Language is my native…" description: "\"American Sign Language is my native tongue. That's the first thing that I learned to communicate with.\" — Paul Raci" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d9/paul-raci-9038_american_american-sign-language-is-my-native-tong_107493.jpg" --- # American Sign Language is my native tongue. That's the… ![“American Sign Language is my native tongue. That's the first thing that I learned to communicate with.” quote by Paul Raci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d9/paul-raci-9038_american_american-sign-language-is-my-native-tong_107493.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d9/paul-raci-9038_american_american-sign-language-is-my-native-tong_107493.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d9/paul-raci-9038_american_american-sign-language-is-my-native-tong_107493.jpg) > “American Sign Language is my native tongue. That's the first thing that I learned to communicate with.” [Paul Raci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-raci/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Language is defined by personal experience; for some, sign language is the primary medium of thought and expression. **In simple terms:** Sign language can be a native tongue. Key Takeaway Language is shaped by lived experience. Themes language identity disability communication Mood proud empowering Type cultural educational When to use this quote - deaf education - multilingual families - inclusive workplaces - interpretation services Key Concepts cultural linguistics neurodiversity Practical Applications - Promote sign language classes - Integrate visual communication tools Questions to Reflect On - How does language choice affect self‑identity? - What barriers exist for sign language users? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American Sign Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-sign-language/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Sign language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sign-language/) ## Related quotes > [I can see that 'Switched at Birth' is attracting audiences because of the diversity and the American Sign Language as well. American Sign Language…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-berdy/i-can-see-that-switched-at-birth-is-attracting-audiences-because-of/) [Sean Berdy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-berdy/) > [I learned American Sign Language in college and seemed to pick it up rather quickly. I really love to sign and wish that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/candace-kita/i-learned-american-sign-language-in-college-and-seemed-to-pick-it-up/) [Candace Kita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/candace-kita/) > [I do love to interpret songs in American Sign Language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-berdy/i-do-love-to-interpret-songs-in-american-sign-language/) [Sean Berdy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-berdy/) > [“If you want to communicate with an ape, try communicating about these topics. Just remember to keep it simple. You may be surprised. Boyce…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-d-cummins/if-you-want-to-communicate-with-an-ape-try-communicating-about-these/) Denise D.Cummins > [The seed for my novel 'Half Brother' was planted in my mind over twenty years ago, but didn't germinate until late 2007 when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-oppel/the-seed-for-my-novel-half-brother-was-planted-in-my-mind-over-twenty/) [Kenneth Oppel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-oppel/) > [“Perhaps best known is the case of Koko, the gorilla to whom the Gorilla Foundation taught American Sign Language. Koko learned more than a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-robinson/perhaps-best-known-is-the-case-of-koko-the-gorilla-to-whom-the/) [Ken Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-robinson/) > [“And what do you know, John's hands flew through the positions of ASL in various l-got-this combinations. "Is he deaf" the guy behind the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward-2/and-what-do-you-know-john-s-hands-flew-through-the-positions-of-asl/) [J. R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward-2/) > [“One study hints that it could, though more work needs to be done. Kids with normal hearing took an American Sign Language class for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-medina/one-study-hints-that-it-could-though-more-work-needs-to-be-done-kids/) [John Medina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-medina/) > [“The oralists believe in speaking and lipreading without ever signing; and the manualists are pro-signing in American Sign Language (ASL).”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-ann-walker/the-oralists-believe-in-speaking-and-lipreading-without-ever-signing/) [Lou Ann Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-ann-walker/) > [Chimpanzees are incredibly intelligent. They can learn more than 400 signs of American Sign Language. They have memories for spatial distribution, like numbers on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goodall/chimpanzees-are-incredibly-intelligent-they-can-learn-more-than-400/) [Jane Goodall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goodall/) > [“American Sign Language was her language, her birthright, not some subpar substitute for English.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-carter/american-sign-language-was-her-language-her-birthright-not-some/) [Mary Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-carter/) > [American Sign Language is a language. It's fun to learn, and it's different from other languages because you use your hands, you use your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millicent-simmonds/american-sign-language-is-a-language-it-s-fun-to-learn-and-it-s/) [Millicent Simmonds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millicent-simmonds/) > [I had to learn American sign language. And I did stuff in it, stuff that was just for me and was fun, that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-lowe/i-had-to-learn-american-sign-language-and-i-did-stuff-in-it-stuff/) [Rob Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-lowe/) > ['Switched at Birth' has an amazing cast, including an Oscar winner and two Emmy nominees. The writing is very innovative, and the show's producers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-shenton/switched-at-birth-has-an-amazing-cast-including-an-oscar-winner-and/) [Rachel Shenton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-shenton/) > [We have American Sign Language here. There's also British Sign Language and Mexican Sign Language. I could meet a deaf person from Japan and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-ridloff/we-have-american-sign-language-here-there-s-also-british-sign/) [Lauren Ridloff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-ridloff/) ## More by Paul Raci > [I started professionally acting in '80.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-raci/i-started-professionally-acting-in-80/) [Paul Raci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-raci/) > [I moved out here when I was 40 and guess what, they are not looking for 40-year-olds in Hollywood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-raci/i-moved-out-here-when-i-was-40-and-guess-what-they-are-not-looking/) [Paul Raci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-raci/) > [You're going to see more inclusion in casting in this town, in Hollywood. You're going to see a lot more differently abled people, people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-raci/you-re-going-to-see-more-inclusion-in-casting-in-this-town-in/) [Paul Raci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-raci/) > [You throw all these obstacles in front of people, especially a lot of the deaf people that I've known in my life, you throw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-raci/you-throw-all-these-obstacles-in-front-of-people-especially-a-lot-of/) [Paul Raci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-raci/) > [What I'm going to make sure happens, if I have anything to say about it, now that people are listening - we need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-raci/what-i-m-going-to-make-sure-happens-if-i-have-anything-to-say-about/) [Paul Raci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-raci/) > [We all know in the deaf community, there are deaf actors, men and women who are highly, highly skilled, highly intuitive, highly intelligent, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-raci/we-all-know-in-the-deaf-community-there-are-deaf-actors-men-and-women/) [Paul Raci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-raci/) > [I had so many deaf uncles that instilled in me this feeling of unconditional love, that's how I was brought up in that community.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-raci/i-had-so-many-deaf-uncles-that-instilled-in-me-this-feeling-of/) [Paul Raci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-raci/) > [John Williams was a Vietnam veteran and I'm a Vietnam veteran, I did two tours in Vietnam. So knowing that, that he wrote a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-raci/john-williams-was-a-vietnam-veteran-and-i-m-a-vietnam-veteran-i-did/) [Paul Raci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-raci/) > [Everybody in Los Angeles is an actor, or they think they are, or they want to be. They're looking for that shot. And the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-raci/everybody-in-los-angeles-is-an-actor-or-they-think-they-are-or-they/) [Paul Raci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-raci/) > [My father was deafened at the age of six months from spinal meningitis, so he never knew sound at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-raci/my-father-was-deafened-at-the-age-of-six-months-from-spinal/) [Paul Raci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-raci/) > [This is why every actor wants to get a script - they want to see what the arc of the character is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-raci/this-is-why-every-actor-wants-to-get-a-script-they-want-to-see-what/) [Paul Raci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-raci/) > [The Deaf population is not a monolith. It's so layered, so complicated. It's happy, it's sad, it's angry. The gamut of human emotion, amplified.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-raci/the-deaf-population-is-not-a-monolith-it-s-so-layered-so-complicated/) [Paul Raci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-raci/) > [There are too many talented deaf men and women out there who are actors, who really have chops, who really know what they're doing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-raci/there-are-too-many-talented-deaf-men-and-women-out-there-who-are/) [Paul Raci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-raci/) > [I'm so blessed that the garden I'm able to pull from, the actor's garden, is as rich as it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-raci/i-m-so-blessed-that-the-garden-i-m-able-to-pull-from-the-actor-s/) [Paul Raci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-raci/) > [My dad, being stone deaf, had a lot of balance problems, especially at night, and walking up stairs was like a perilous journey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-raci/my-dad-being-stone-deaf-had-a-lot-of-balance-problems-especially-at/) [Paul Raci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-raci/) [Explore all 75 Paul Raci quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-raci/) ## More American quotes > [I wasn't attracted to American cinema, but I fell in love with Los Angeles the minute I arrived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-varda/i-wasn-t-attracted-to-american-cinema-but-i-fell-in-love-with-los/) [Agnes Varda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-varda/) > [William Maxwell's my favorite North American writer, I think. And an Irish writer who used to write for 'The New Yorker' called Maeve Brennan,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/william-maxwell-s-my-favorite-north-american-writer-i-think-and-an/) [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) > [I have fallen in love with American names, the sharp names that never get fat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-vincent-benet/i-have-fallen-in-love-with-american-names-the-sharp-names-that-never/) [Stephen Vincent Benet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-vincent-benet/) > [I really like a lot of American country stuff, so my music has that influence, but I don't like to be set within a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jade-bird/i-really-like-a-lot-of-american-country-stuff-so-my-music-has-that/) [Jade Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jade-bird/) > [I certainly don't think that the heirs of the American Revolution were a particularly noble class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-w-brands/i-certainly-don-t-think-that-the-heirs-of-the-american-revolution/) [H. W. Brands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-w-brands/) > [Congress passed the American Rescue Plan Act in a tremendous investment to support millions of workers without a paycheck and behind on bills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-auchincloss/congress-passed-the-american-rescue-plan-act-in-a-tremendous/) [Jake Auchincloss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-auchincloss/) > [Small businesses are the backbone of the American economy and employ almost half of the working population. Yet because of their size, they rarely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-lipinski/small-businesses-are-the-backbone-of-the-american-economy-and-employ/) [Dan Lipinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-lipinski/) > [Although I write in English, and despite the fact that I'm from America, I consider myself an Armenian writer. The words I use are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/although-i-write-in-english-and-despite-the-fact-that-i-m-from/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [When we first sold the Wallace and Gromit shorts to America, people suggested we get rid of the strange British accents and put clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-park/when-we-first-sold-the-wallace-and-gromit-shorts-to-america-people/) [Nick Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-park/) > [Firefighters and rescue workers are American superheroes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-kennedy/firefighters-and-rescue-workers-are-american-superheroes/) [Kerry Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-kennedy/) > [France has not only built a bureaucratic barrier against American culture, it has constructed a notorious intellectual case against it as well. The French…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-cowen/france-has-not-only-built-a-bureaucratic-barrier-against-american/) [Tyler Cowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-cowen/) > [New York and San Francisco are distinctly different. San Francisco is driving the American media, not New York. You have young, microwaved millionaires and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-whitlock/new-york-and-san-francisco-are-distinctly-different-san-francisco-is/) [Jason Whitlock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-whitlock/) > [Well look, CIA is an agency that has to collect intelligence, do operations. We have to take risks and it's important that we take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/well-look-cia-is-an-agency-that-has-to-collect-intelligence-do/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [Food as a hobby used to be an elite pastime, and it has become something that is totally ordinary for people of every background.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-goodyear/food-as-a-hobby-used-to-be-an-elite-pastime-and-it-has-become/) [Dana Goodyear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-goodyear/) > [It's important for American soldiers to be culturally sensitive when deployed in foreign countries. But it's just as important for the U.S. never to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-bauer/it-s-important-for-american-soldiers-to-be-culturally-sensitive-when/) [Gary Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-bauer/) Browse all 7,717 American quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "American Sign Language is my native tongue. That's the first thing that I learned to communicate with.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Paul Raci" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-raci/american-sign-language-is-my-native-tongue-that-s-the-first-thing/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "American" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-raci/american-sign-language-is-my-native-tongue-that-s-the-first-thing/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d9/paul-raci-9038_american_american-sign-language-is-my-native-tong_107493.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d9/paul-raci-9038_american_american-sign-language-is-my-native-tong_107493.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d9/paul-raci-9038_american_american-sign-language-is-my-native-tong_107493.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“American Sign Language is my native tongue. That's the first thing that I learned to communicate with.” — Paul Raci", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Paul Raci", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-raci/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "American Sign Language is my native...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-raci/american-sign-language-is-my-native-tongue-that-s-the-first-thing/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-raci/american-sign-language-is-my-native-tongue-that-s-the-first-thing/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```