josh susser on Nostr: I took ASL classes, not Deaf, so don't consider me an expert. But I learned somewhere ...

I took ASL classes, not Deaf, so don't consider me an expert. But I learned somewhere around 1/3 of signs include facial components. They aren't really facial expressions, though, as they aren't emotional subtext, but are part of the syntax of the language. For example, raised eyebrows turn a statement into a yes/no question, while lowered eyebrows with the right sign mean it's a wh-question (who, what, where, why, when). And a slightly open mouth modifies a sign to mean a little, but a wide open mouth modifies it to mean a lot. ASL is its own language, and works really differently from English in a lot of ways.