Is there a universal sign language?

Question

Ok. For those who did not understand my question. Do for example deaf french people understand deaf english people?

Answer 1

As in deaf language, no. I know a deaf "missionary" that has taught in many different sign languages.

Answer 2

No sign language is different among different countries. The Sign Language Alphabet isn't even the same. You might think that British Sign Language and American Sign Language would be similiar, but actually ASL is closer to French Sign Language.

This site lists 114 known sign languages around the world:
http://faculty.valencia.cc.fl.us/arasmussen/General_Info/glossing_module_writing_unwritten.htm

Answer 3

Well, American Sign Language MIGHT be understood by a deaf frenchman easier than spoken English could be understood by a hearing frenchman. The manual languages are much easier to pick-up because it's all about concept. Not only that, but ASL is based off of FSL, because England wanted money to have Americans learn their sign language. =/

Answer 4

Makaton (trademark) is a system of communication that uses a vocabulary of "key word" manual signs and gestures to support speech, as well as graphic symbols to support the written word. It is used by and with people who have communication, language or learning difficulties. This includes people with articulation problems (such as cerebral palsy), people with cognitive impairments such as autism or Down syndrome, and their families, colleagues and carers. It can be used to help the development of speech and language in children, or by adults as a means of functional communication for every day use.

Communication using Makaton involves speaking (where possible) while concurrently signing key words. The sign vocabulary is taken from the local deaf sign language (with some additional 'natural gestures'), beginning with a 'core' list of important words. However, the grammar generally follows the spoken language rather than the sign language. Makaton does make limited use of the spatial grammatical features of directionality and placement of signs. As Makaton is used in over 40 countries world wide, Makaton Keyword Signing varies from country to country and can even vary from state to state within each country.

Makaton was developed in the early 1970s in the UK for communication with residents of a large hospital who were both deaf and intellectually disabled. The name is a blend of the names of the three people who devised it: Margaret Walker, Kathy Johnston and Tony Cornforth.

Makaton is run by the MVDP (Makaton Vocabulary Development Project) which controls the copyright to Makaton and depends on the associated income for its funding. This restricts the use of Makaton pictograms to licensed educational programs and home use.

Answer 5

The answer is yes and no. See Sign Language is mostly translated in all countries the same, but here is where it gets tricky...we all use slang, and some words we use here mean totally different things in other countries. Hope this helps. I am an interpreter for the deaf. Thanks for the question.

Answer 6

No it is not universal. There is Japanese S.L., British S.L., French S.L., German, S.L. and so on. I have met deaf Germans who signed in German S.L. I did not understand it at all. But what I noticed is that some of the signs that they used were also used in American S.L. however with total different meanings.

In A.S.L. we sign the alphabet with one hand, while in B.S.L. they sign it with both hands.

Answer 7

no, sign languages have developed differently in each country in the same way that each country has its own spoken language. Sign languages evolve in the same way and are usually unrelated to the actual language of the country

Answer 8

I think Macaton is pretty much the universally recognised sign language these days. BSL (British sign language) is still used and taught but becoming more obselete I believe.

Answer 9

i know irish sign language(isl) is also some other countries sign language+ i think its the most common one but britain for example use a different form

Answer 10

Makaton is as universal as you can get but it is generally used for children learning to sign. British sign language (BSL) is also widely used. I dread to think what differences there might be if the basics aren't the same!