ASL most widely used language in the United States

No. I didn't use any of Gallaudet sources. Here's a shorten version of my analysis back then.
Kokonut Pundit: Deaf Voters Not 2 Million Strong

lol wow... you really do take everything too literally, eh?

"Two Million Strong" is most likely a battle cry for rhetoric purpose. One could say that "Two Million Strong" term was from Battle of Thermopylae where King Xerxes arrived with two million soldiers hence "two million strong" against 300 Spartans.

calm down. why so serious? :lol:
 
There's a slight argument I would say, regarding the methodology to generate those US ASL figures, if one takes a moment to think of it. With most languages listed, people self-identify with a corresponding language and base this answer to the census/polling origination. The individual doesn't need to be verified by a source, they can (generally speaking) personally assest if they are capable of declaring it as their official language. This would incur for many of those examples, anyone speaking of Spanish, Chinese, German, etc. languages.

However, as with ASL isn't there generally an unspoken sub-requirement in that you are accepted into the community before an individual can declare oneself officially a part of it? These participants of the Deaf community tend to judge the individuals.
Sort of like the college example given, taking a couple of college classes in Spanish doesn't automatically constitute an official "declaration" of sorts that you are now a native speaker of the language, you personally have to assest this yourself. Except this time for ASL, it is done for you.

The issue is for ASL, I'm trying to convey, that it seems to be the other way around - they [the community] generally are to accept the individual before they can officially declare themselves apart of the pool. In this effect, that would actually lower some amounts of people in that group - impacting mostly hearing that declare their language(s) with ASL. On the flip side, in effect, it could also increase the likelihood of people who associate with it because they are deaf, although not fully fluent in the language thereby generating extras than necessary.

If one is fluent in a language, then so what?
 
The United States census, as far as I know, doesn't ask about Deafness or ASL-- and even if it did, the number would still be inaccurate
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Right, that's why we're comparing Gallaudet's and other estimates of ASL users, which range from 200,000 - 500,000 (max) to languages that are covered by the census.
 
Population has grown since 1986. That was over 25 years ago.

I'm kind of surprised. I would think that with popularity of CI going up, ASL would move down the list.

I'm glad that ASL is still strong. When my girlfriend and I get married and have kids, we'll want to teach ASL first.
 
I'm kind of surprised. I would think that with popularity of CI going up, ASL would move down the list.

I'm glad that ASL is still strong. When my girlfriend and I get married and have kids, we'll want to teach ASL first.

Right. So "widely used language" doesn't necessarily mean a primary language. Kids will grow up knowing two widely used languages and be fluent in. Knowing ASL and being fluent in it on a daily basis does not mean a person is deaf.
 
If one is fluent in a language, then so what?
If you want to get a rough gauge of the number of actual users, I'd surmise it's somewhat relevant. What benefits, if there are any, to include non-primary ASL users into the count?
Since you can't gauge the number of actual deaf people (remember the deaf ethnicity argument we've had here), this would be a relevant way of gauging the actual number of deaf-and-ASL using individuals in the US.
Unless you know of a better method?

Right, that's why we're comparing Gallaudet's and other estimates of ASL users, which range from 200,000 - 500,000 (max) to languages that are covered by the census.
Whoops, that was some spam. ;)
 
If you want to get a rough gauge of the number of actual users, I'd surmise it's somewhat relevant. What benefits, if there are any, to include non-primary ASL users into the count?
Since you can't gauge the number of actual deaf people (remember the deaf ethnicity argument we've had here), this would be a relevant way of gauging the actual number of deaf-and-ASL using individuals in the US.
Unless you know of a better method?

The OP said, "widely used language." I already questioned this as to exactly the meaning of it and it does not sound like counting only native language users. Just that a language that is "widely used" or in this case "most spoken" when it comes to other spoken languages.
 
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