* Different Structures: English and ASL have different grammatical structures. English relies heavily on word order to convey meaning, while ASL uses a system of spatial relationships and "classifiers" (handshapes that represent the category of a noun).
* Flexibility: ASL can create new nouns on the fly by combining signs or using classifiers in different ways. This makes it difficult to create a direct comparison with English noun counts.
* Meaning and Context: Both languages create meaning through context. A sign in ASL might be considered a noun in one context and a verb in another.
In essence, it's not about the *number* of nouns, but the *ways* in which each language creates and expresses them. ASL's emphasis on spatial relationships and classifiers allows for a more fluid and nuanced representation of nouns than English might have.