The word "asl" likely refers to the abbreviation "ASL," which stands for "American Sign Language." It is a complete and natural language that is used by the deaf and hard-of-hearing community in North America, combining hand signs, facial expressions, and body language to convey meaning.
The term "American Sign Language" was developed in the early 19th century, based on various regional sign languages as well as influences from French Sign Language. The abbreviation "ASL" emerged as a shorthand for the full term.