The Deaf and Language: Sign, Oral,

Written

• Sign Languages? Is it a true language without

speech ?
• Is a sign language a true language?
• Is it a true language without speech ?
• Do people who use sign language truly have a
language?
• Are the fundamental abilities of speakers
fulfilled by sign language?
 Sign language…
• If a signing person can communicate by
sign whatever that can be
communicated by speech – isn’t that
language then a true language?
• Language acquisition requires some
physical mode of acquisition which can
be visual (signing) or touch (deaf-blind).
• Sign Language is not universal
• Forms of “sign language”:
• American Sign Language (ASL)
• British Sign Language (BSL)
• French Sign Language (FSL)
• A signer is someone who communicates
information to deaf people using sign
language.
 Criterion for a true language…
• This complex sentence… “If the weather
had been fine, then Mary’s uncle could
have come and given her the money.”
…can be expressed in sign language.
• P. 38
 Complete and Incomplete Sign
Languages
• Research shows that signers using any
developed sign language (ASL, French,
British, etc.) can communicate in sign
whatever is expressed in speech.
(complete)
• Japan prohibits the use of sign language.
(though now things are changing)
 Complete and Incomplete Sign
Languages
• ASL, British Sign Language, French Sign
Language are complete sign languages.
• Other sign languages are incomplete SLs
• Syntactically incomplete / limited vocabulary
 Difference Between Developed
Countries and Developing Countries

Countries are divided into two major categories

by the United Nations, which are developed
countries and developing countries. The
classification of countries is based on the
economic status.
 Difference Between Developed
Countries and Developing Countries
The countries which are facing the beginning of
industrialization are called Developing
Countries. Developed Countries have a high
income as compared to Developing Countries.
In developed countries, the birth rate and
death rate are low, whereas in developing
countries both the rates are high.
 Speeds of Signing and Speaking
Sentences
• Signers of complete sign languages --
communicate at about the same speed as
“speakers”.
• It does not matter if information is conveyed
in speech or sign form -- there is an optimum
speed for humans to be comfortable in
processing information.