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A sign language is one that instead of using sounds, uses combinations of handshapes, movements of the hands, arms and/or body, and facial expressions to convey information. Sign languages are most often encountered among deaf people, but American Indians were known to use a sign language to facilitate communication among tribes who spoke different languages. |
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A sign language is one that instead of using sounds, uses combinations of handshapes, movements of the hands, arms and/or body, and facial expressions to convey information. Sign languages are most often encountered among deaf people, but American Indians were known to use a sign language to facilitate communication among tribes who spoke different languages, and people in situations where silence is desirable (such as covert operations) often employ some form of sign language to communicate. |
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A common misconception about signed languages is that they are not real languages. Professional linguists have studied many sign languages and found them to have every linguistic component required to be classed as a true language. Sign languages are not simple pantomime and they are not a visual rendition of a simplified version of any spoken language. They have rich, complex grammars and like every other language on Earth, they can be used to discuss any topic, from the simple and concrete to the lofty and abstract. They are the linguistic equal to Chinese, English, French, or any other natural language. |
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A common misconception about signed languages is that they are not real languages. Professional linguists have studied many sign languages and found them to have every linguistic component required to be classed as a true language. Sign languages are not simple pantomime? and they are not a visual rendition of a simplified version of any spoken language. They have rich, complex grammars and like every other language used by people, they can be used to discuss any topic, from the simple and concrete to the lofty and abstract. They are the linguistic equal to Chinese, English, French, or any other natural language. |
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Another misconception commonly held is that sign languages are dependent in some way on spoken languages, e.g. they are merely the spelling out of the words of a spoken language using gestural symbols. Although fingerspelling is used in sign languages, mostly for proper names, it is merely one tool among many. To say that sign language is not a true language because it uses fingerspelling for some things is akin to saying that English is not a true langauge because it contains onomatopoetic words. On the whole, sign languages are independent of spoken languages and they follow their own developmental paths. For example, Brittish sign language and American sign language are different and mutually unintelligible, even though the hearing people of British and America share the same spoken language. In addition, some countries that have a single spoken language throughout have two or more signed languages being used within. |
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Another misconception commonly held is that sign languages are dependent in some way on spoken languages, e.g. they are merely the spelling out of the words of a spoken language using gestural symbols. Although fingerspelling is used in sign languages, mostly for proper names, it is merely one tool among many. To say that sign language is not a true language because it uses fingerspelling for some things is akin to saying that English is not a true langauge because it contains onomatopoetic words. On the whole, sign languages are independent of spoken languages and they follow their own developmental paths. For example, [British sign language]? and [American sign language]? are different and mutually unintelligible, even though the hearing people of British and America share the same spoken language. In addition, some countries that have a single spoken language throughout have two or more signed languages being used within. |
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*American Sign Language *[British Sign Language]? *[French Sign Language]? *[Irish Sign Language]? |
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* American Sign Language * [British Sign Language]? * [French Sign Language]? * [Irish Sign Language]? * Auslan?, used in Australia |
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