3 answers
Marie
Student
Geneva, Ohio
35
Questions
Asked
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why is sign language different?
like counting to 10 in SL is different they just counting on your fingers #teacher
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3 answers
Doc Frick
Career Coach and Mentor
1340
Answers
California, CA
Updated
Doc’s Answer
Great Question Marie
One of the most common misconceptions about sign language is that it’s the same wherever you go. That’s not the case. In fact, there are somewhere between 138 and 300 different types of sign language used throughout the world today. New sign languages frequently evolve amongst groups of deaf children and adults.
SIGN LANGUAGE IS MORE EXPRESSIVE
Sign languages aren’t just about the hands, they're also about the movement of a person’s arms, body and facial expressions. Facial expressions in sign languages can express both emotion and grammatical information. For instance, eyebrows can be raised and lowered to change the structure of a sentence from a statement to a question. So if you’re ever speaking in a sign language make sure your facial expressions are correct or you could be saying something completely different to what you mean.
People who know a sign language are often much better listeners. When using a sign language, a person must engage in constant eye contact with the person who is speaking. Unlike spoken language, with sign languages a person cannot look away from the person speaking and continue to listen. This can be an extremely beneficial habit to have for spoken language as well as sign language. By maintaining eye contact in spoken language, it shows that a person is genuinely interested in what the other is saying.
AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE (ASL) – the United States claim ASL as their native language. It’s also used in Canada, West Africa and Southeast Asia. ASL is based on French Sign Language, but was also influenced by Martha’s Vineyard Sign Language and other local sign languages. Like French Sign Language, ASL uses a one-handed fingerspelling alphabet.
BRITISH SIGN LANGUAGE (BSL) – BSL evolved at Thomas Braidwood’s schools for the deaf in the late 1700s and early 1800s. From there, it spread to Australia and New Zealand. Auslan (Australian Sign Language) and New Zealand Sign Language are therefore quite similar. They use the same grammar, the same manual alphabet, and much of the same vocabulary.
OTHER SIGN LANGUAGE AROUND THE WORLD
• French Sign Language (LSF)
• Irish Sign Language (ISL)
• Chinese Sign Language (CSL or ZGS)
Hope this was Helpful Marie
One of the most common misconceptions about sign language is that it’s the same wherever you go. That’s not the case. In fact, there are somewhere between 138 and 300 different types of sign language used throughout the world today. New sign languages frequently evolve amongst groups of deaf children and adults.
SIGN LANGUAGE IS MORE EXPRESSIVE
Sign languages aren’t just about the hands, they're also about the movement of a person’s arms, body and facial expressions. Facial expressions in sign languages can express both emotion and grammatical information. For instance, eyebrows can be raised and lowered to change the structure of a sentence from a statement to a question. So if you’re ever speaking in a sign language make sure your facial expressions are correct or you could be saying something completely different to what you mean.
People who know a sign language are often much better listeners. When using a sign language, a person must engage in constant eye contact with the person who is speaking. Unlike spoken language, with sign languages a person cannot look away from the person speaking and continue to listen. This can be an extremely beneficial habit to have for spoken language as well as sign language. By maintaining eye contact in spoken language, it shows that a person is genuinely interested in what the other is saying.
AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE (ASL) – the United States claim ASL as their native language. It’s also used in Canada, West Africa and Southeast Asia. ASL is based on French Sign Language, but was also influenced by Martha’s Vineyard Sign Language and other local sign languages. Like French Sign Language, ASL uses a one-handed fingerspelling alphabet.
BRITISH SIGN LANGUAGE (BSL) – BSL evolved at Thomas Braidwood’s schools for the deaf in the late 1700s and early 1800s. From there, it spread to Australia and New Zealand. Auslan (Australian Sign Language) and New Zealand Sign Language are therefore quite similar. They use the same grammar, the same manual alphabet, and much of the same vocabulary.
OTHER SIGN LANGUAGE AROUND THE WORLD
• French Sign Language (LSF)
• Irish Sign Language (ISL)
• Chinese Sign Language (CSL or ZGS)
Hope this was Helpful Marie
Mnyameni Mabasa
1
Answer
Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa
Updated
Mnyameni’s Answer
Hello Mary E. Sign language is different because it uses signs(especially hands) instead of words to communicate with the deaf persons and or foreign language speakers.
Suzanne Swain Brint
Nursing
169
Answers
Santa Monica, California
Updated
Suzanne’s Answer
Hello Marie,
I would love to learn American Sign Language (ASL). It is a unique language. I have included a very useful website. It is spoken quickly so counting to 10 using your fingers can be done with one hand in ASL.
I am hoping that someone who speaks ASL answers your question. I think it is very important for people to acknowledge and learn how to communicate with people who have deafness. Did you know that being deaf is typically an invisible disability? It is also a disability that can place the deaf person in dangerous situations. It can also be socially isolating.
I lost hearing in one of my ears about 20 years ago due to a brain tumor. I am now unable to follow conversation in social situations and I can't locate where sounds come from. This changed my perceptions totally. Going out to dinner became a chore. I can't hear where sirens are located when I'm driving. If I'm walking, I can't hear where cars are coming from. I can't imagine total deafness! I am grateful that the fully deaf have a vibrant language they use in order to communicate. I need to learn at least a few ASL phrases.
I hope these websites provide important information for you!
Best,
Sue
https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/american-sign-language
https://www.nad.org/resources/american-sign-language/what-is-american-sign-language/
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/deafness-and-hearing-loss
I would love to learn American Sign Language (ASL). It is a unique language. I have included a very useful website. It is spoken quickly so counting to 10 using your fingers can be done with one hand in ASL.
I am hoping that someone who speaks ASL answers your question. I think it is very important for people to acknowledge and learn how to communicate with people who have deafness. Did you know that being deaf is typically an invisible disability? It is also a disability that can place the deaf person in dangerous situations. It can also be socially isolating.
I lost hearing in one of my ears about 20 years ago due to a brain tumor. I am now unable to follow conversation in social situations and I can't locate where sounds come from. This changed my perceptions totally. Going out to dinner became a chore. I can't hear where sirens are located when I'm driving. If I'm walking, I can't hear where cars are coming from. I can't imagine total deafness! I am grateful that the fully deaf have a vibrant language they use in order to communicate. I need to learn at least a few ASL phrases.
I hope these websites provide important information for you!
Best,
Sue
https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/american-sign-language
https://www.nad.org/resources/american-sign-language/what-is-american-sign-language/
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/deafness-and-hearing-loss
thank you so much
Marie