2006-12-29 05:45:34 · 10 answers · asked by mary_masser 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
No there are many sign languages, there are two in the U.S. a different one in the U.K.
Here's a very good article on Wikipedia about it. Way to much information to put here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sign_language
2006-12-29 09:23:42 · answer #1 · answered by rbwtexan 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No.
Most people have already explained that "Sign Language" is not a universal language. There are different sign languages just as there are different spoken languages. How could deaf people, isolated from deaf people in other countries, create the same language? Hearing people had a much better chance as there are so many of them, and most spoken languages have a written form, yet they have created hundreds of different languages. Just because two countries share a spoken language, does not mean they share a sign language as wel.
To correct a comment that another person made, knowing English does NOT help British deaf people and American deaf people communicate through sign. BSL, British Sign Language, uses a two handed alphabet and ASL, American Sign Language, uses a one handed alphabet. A few deaf people have learned he other's alphabet, but they are NOTHING alike. Gesturing and signing is a much better way to go that spelling.
2006-12-31 17:49:33 · answer #2 · answered by KSMILE 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sign Lnaguage is regional, so even if two people know the same sign language (i.e. ASL), there might be a few discrepencies. But all in all, a deaf American immersed in a deaf French community will adapt much faster than a hearing American immeresed in a hearing French community. Sign language is conceptual, so learning a new one willbe fairly simple with the knowledge of another one; of course culural discrepencies might make it difficult.
Oh, and a side note: American SIgn anguage is very loosely related to English Sign Language. ASL is actually much closer related to French SignLanguage.
2006-12-30 10:56:24 · answer #3 · answered by Sungchul 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I have a friend that is deaf and I communicate with her with signs rather than sign language. I don't think she knows sign language, I don't either, so it works out. Kind of like pictionary
2006-12-29 13:50:05 · answer #4 · answered by SuperSkinny 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
no, it is specific to language of the country.
sign language represents letters of alphabet, so US deafs can talk to UK ones since both know English. If US deaf knows German, he can talk to German deafs.
2006-12-29 13:47:30 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. See "American" sign language.
2006-12-29 13:47:44 · answer #6 · answered by Phoenix, Wise Guru 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
no
many of the same words are done the same like 'dance' , but there are several languages in sign.
2006-12-29 13:47:18 · answer #7 · answered by craina c 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There are two that I know of, ASL and ESL.
2006-12-29 13:47:29 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
no
duh
2006-12-29 13:52:31 · answer #9 · answered by Danielle 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No especially the blind ones.
2006-12-29 13:47:48 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 5⤋