Language and Communication

What is British Sign Language (BSL)?

BSL is a visual-gestural language which uses hand shapes, facial and body expression and gestures to express meaning.   The meaning of a sign varies depending how it is made, where it is placed and the facial or bodily expressions and movements which accompany it.  

BSL has no written form, although there is a linguistic notational form used in the BSL/English dictionary.  Like many of today’s languages BSL is constantly evolving as new signs are developed in the same way that new words are introduced into other spoken languages.
 
Individual countries have their own Sign Languages that are distinct and different from each other,  just as each country’s spoken language may be different.  Even American Sign Language and BSL are quite different.

In the UK BSL is a language in its own right and is officially recognised by the government.

 Communicating internationally through sign language

International communication can be a daunting task.  Communicating with someone from another country who is unable to speak your native language can make it difficult to get your message across.

For deaf people who use BSL talking to another deaf person from another country, who uses another form of sign language, may not be as much of a problem and communication will often be better than a hearing counterparts.

This is because of the gestural nature of some signs that can make communication easier.  Signs used for car and book are examples of universal signs that are used and understood all over the world.

Sign Supported English (SSE)

In addition to people who use BSL as their preferred language some other deaf people, especially those who were educated in a spoken English environment or who became deaf after acquiring spoken language, may prefer to use Sign Supported English (SSE).

SSE uses signs from BSL but with English grammar.  It is not an independent language and the use of English to BSL signs and features will vary depending on the linguistic skills and knowledge of individual users.  If English is the person’s first language they will often use signs taken from BSL but apply them in English word order accompanied by lip patterns.

When using SSE you speak and sign at the same time and the signs are actually used to support the spoken word.  Many deaf people will use SSE as an aid to lip-reading.

Lip-reading

Lip-reading is ‘reading’ the visual clues of a spoken message.  This is not just limited to lip patterns and also includes movements of the lips, tongue, the lower jaw, the eyes, the eyebrows and facial expression, body language and gesture as these are all clues to the lip-reader. The lip-reader will also observe the syllables, the natural flow, rhythm, phrasing and stress of speech.

Ordinary speech is often very rapid, and the average lip-reader will not be able to see all the shapes of speech sounds.  When the speaker talks faster than normal lip-reading becomes even more difficult

Barriers to lip-reading are:

•    Mumbling, fast speech or shouting
•    Inappropriate lighting
•    Turning away, walking to and fro, nodding
•    Placing your hands in front of your mouth
•    Eating, drinking or smoking while talking

It becomes easier to lip-read when there is:

•    Suitable lighting
•    Face to face communication – suitable distance (3ft – 6ft)
•    Eye contact
•    Facial expression, body language and gesture
•    Rephrasing - using sentences rather than individual words

Why are some words difficult to lip-read?

Many words look the same on the lips, like bat, pat and mat where as other words produce no lip pattern at all.  Without clues from the topic of conversation, residual hearing and the co-operation of the speaker the deaf person may understand little of what is being said to them increasing the chances of misunderstanding.