Can English sign language be understood by others?

Today Shuimo is quite surprised to find, on BBC news channel, an odlie performing sign language alongside presenters and reporters who do normal reporting!O(∩_∩)O

His hand gesture and facial expressions are rather funny!\(^o^)/~

Shuimo is wondering why BBC suddenly slots sign language presentations its programming? Does this have anything to do with UK election?

Can deaf people of other countries understand this English sign language? Or is sign language country-specific?(*^__^*)

Shiumo,

I'm surprised that this is the first time you see sign language on British TV :S Is that really so?

There are several sign languages out there: in Spain we have our own, in the States they have ASL, ISL in Ireland, Auslan in Australia... Although "signers" are usually better at understanding other sign languages that e.g. a Frenchp erson would be at understading English, British Sign Language is usually claimed to be unintelligible for ASL speakers.

Talking about English sign language.....apparently this British woman driving along a road in the United States encountered a form of "English sign language" in the form of both verbal and visual signalling from another vehicle driving along behind her....the visual signalling was in the form of flashing lights and the verbal signalling turned out to be delivered in her own native British accents....by two British lads who had noticed the British flag sticker attached to her car's bumper in the form of the Cross of St George of England flag.

This is a copy of a section of her posting on a British Expats in the USA website in which they were discussing vehicle registration/number plates in America which arrapently can be personalised in a way not operational here in the UK.....people can obtain registration numbers here which can resemble their initials or some other feature personal to them - eg a comedian with the "COM 1 C" plate (now out of date but still transferable)....present day UK number plates - eg SA10BAT (Scottish reg.) or LE07DOG (London reg.) or WL06XJR (West Country reg.) are more difficult to adapt.

This is what she wrote about a British man who had the number plate including the word BRIT on his American car:

***I dont feel the need for a Brit plate, I have my little England flag sticker on my bumper (the cross of St George of England). A few weeks back driving home from work I had what I thought were two nutters flashing there lights at me and waving like mad. I got to the lights they pulled up next to me and shouted in a delicious Brit accent which was true music to my ears over here...."What you doing in these parts then, darlin'???" Ahhh!! - I thought two lovely young men in a Jag but not just lovely young men they were Brit lovely young men!!!!****

Sign languages were developed independently and arbitrarily in various countries, so no, there is no universal sign language. Nor does a shared spoken language guarantee relatedness in signed versions: hearing Americans and Brits can understand each other's speech, but deaf Americans and deaf Britons would not be able to communicate in sign well, since ASL and BSL use different gestures for the same words.

All I'm saying is if you're going to do it, at least do it right. Use the third person verb and don't mix and match in the same sentence. Grammatical consistency will be a good exercise.

Uriel Wed Apr 14, 2010 3:20 am GMT
All I'm saying is if you're going to do it, at least do it right. Use the third person verb and don't mix and match in the same sentence. Grammatical consistency will be a good exercise.
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You misfired!