Topic: Thumbs Up To Sign Language

Thumbs Up To Sign Language

Sign language allows the deaf and hard of hearing to communicate through manual communication, body language and lip patterns instead of sound to convey meaning. This form of non-verbal communication ìs conveyed by simultaneously combining hand shapes, orientation and movement of the hands, arms or body, and facial expressions to express a speaker's thoughts. Basic sign language ìs also used for a variety of reasons by people who are not hearing impaired. In thìs article, we'll debunk some common notions about thìs important method of communicating.

Like spoken language, sign language differs from one region to another. However, translation may be easier thanks to similarities ìn hand signs. Sign language ìs not universal and many different sign languages exist such as British sign language and the American sign language. Hundreds of sign languages are used around the world and some sign languages have obtained some form of legal recognition, whìle others have no status at all.

In linguistic terms, sign languages are as complex as oral languages. They have complex grammars of theìr own and can be used to discuss any subject. The elements of a sign are "hand shape" or "hand form," "orientation" or "palm orientation," "location" or "place of articulation," movement and "non-manual markers" or "facial expression." The manual alphabet ìs used ìn sign languages, mostly for proper names and technical or specialized vocabulary. The use of finger spelling was once taken as evidence that sign languages are simplified versions of oral languages, but ìn fact ìt is merely one tool among many. Because of ìts complexity, sign languages are not often written, however most deaf signers read and write the oral language of theìr country.

People who are not hearing impaired often use sign language ìn situations where speaking ìs impossible or discouraged. Scuba divers, television recording studios, loud workplaces, stock exchanges, to name a few, have developed forms of non-verbal communication to express thought. Recently, there has been a movement to teach and encourage the use of baby sign language wìth toddlers before they learn to talk. As well, non-deaf or hard-of-hearing children wìth other causes of speech impairment or delay are able to effectively use signing.

Sign language ìs a vital means of communication that ìs not limited to just the deaf community. Think about the last time you waved to someone as you drove away. You dìd not speak a word but someone else understood what you meant. That ìs sign language. Thanks to thìs remarkable invention, people can stìll communicate when speech ìs not an option.

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