Sign language for deaf people

For some people, learning a spoken language is near impossible. This is true for deaf people (people who can’t hear). Instead of a spoken language, deaf people can learn sign language. In this language, you have to move your hands in certain ways to communicate with people. Deaf people can use sign language with other deaf people or with hearing people who know it.

Sign language is like spoken language in some ways. Both have vocabulary, grammar and sentences. In spoken language, you make different sounds with your mouth. In sign language, you have to move your hands. You have to hold your hands in different ways to give different meanings. Everyone can learn how to use sign language, but like every other language, practising is a must. You can start by learning how to sign the alphabet, numbers and common words. You could then move on to practising common phrases and learn how to make sentences in sign language.

People use sign language all around the world, but every country has its own sign language. There may be differences inside a country as well. In Switzerland, for example, there are five different ways of using the Swiss German Sign Language. In the United States, the 500,000 people who use American Sign Language don’t all use it in the same way. People in different parts of the country have different signs for things.

For deaf children, learning sign language is not very different from learning any other language. Most begin learning the signs when they are still small babies. If the parents are deaf, their children will learn sign language from them. If the children can hear, they can also learn spoken language from other people. Deaf children sometimes have parents who can hear. These parents often learn sign language when their deaf children are born. That way, they can communicate with each other. In many countries, signers help deaf people. These signers are not deaf, but they know sign language and can translate spoken language to sign language. Signers sometimes work for television channels. Some television programs show a signer in one corner of the screen. The signer translates everything during the program. This way, deaf people can follow what is happening. Sign language has made a big difference in the lives of deaf people. Are you interested in learning more about sign language? Then you can check out sign language on the Internet and practise saying some basic words and phrases.