* ASL Gloss: This is a system of written abbreviations and symbols representing individual signs, similar to how phonetic transcription represents spoken sounds. It's often used in dictionaries and educational materials to visually represent ASL vocabulary and grammar.
* ASL Fingerspelling: This is a system of spelling out individual letters using handshapes, similar to how we use the alphabet. It's used to spell out names, places, and concepts that don't have a specific sign.
* ASL Notation: Some systems use a combination of symbols, pictures, and glosses to represent ASL signs and their associated meanings. These systems are often more complex and less widely used.
It's important to understand that these are representations of ASL, not a true written language. ASL is a visual-spatial language, and its meaning is conveyed through handshapes, facial expressions, and body language.
While ASL is primarily a signed language, its written representations play a vital role in teaching, learning, and documenting the language.