I studied sign language years ago and still use the fragments that are left occasionally. ASL is quite different than signed English. It is faster, skipping a lot of the small words and suffixes and prefixes. eg "More fast, (throw out) small sign." Initially it can look like abbreviated English (or text messaging) until you start to understand a conversation you are watching. Each sign carries more meaning that the written word. There is a sign for park (a car) but when it is used that one sign can show you whether they parallel parked or spent 10 minutes backing in, or whether they hit the other car. There is a visual poetry and ability to pun based not on the sound of the word but on something I don't have a word for. For example signing the word vain with the left hand mirroring the right while you put a stuck up expression on your face. Or "Jaws", the movie. A friend signed it to me by spelling out the word, again with both hands simultaneously. The W's (index, middle and ring figers held up) snapped closed into the S's (fists) just like a shark biting.