ASL, or American Sign Language, is a complete visual language used by many Deaf and signing communities in the United States and parts of Canada, employing handshapes, movement, and facial grammar. An aunt is a family role, commonly the sister of a parent or the wife of a parent’s sibling, who may raise, mentor, or support younger relatives across family structures.
This relationship explainer clarifies what ASL and aunt mean on their own, how they intersect in families and interpreting contexts, and how to talk about an aunt in ASL with clarity and respect. Topics include definitions, kinship terms in ASL, roles and responsibilities, and practical guidance for communicating about family in accessible ways.