I'd like to share with you a piano metaphor,
to have you have a better understanding of how
ASL works. So, envision a piano. ASL is broken
down into many different grammatical parameters.
If you assign a different parameter to each
finger as you play the piano -- such as facial
expression, body movement, speed, hand shape
and so on, as you play the piano -- English is a
linear language, as if one key is being pressed at
a time. However, ASL is more like a chord -- all
10 fingers need to come down simultaneously to
express a clear concept or idea in ASL. If just
one of those keys were to change the chord, it
would create a completely different meaning.