Sign language - can deaf people from different countries understand each other?

Question

I guess I am trying to see if the American Sign Language signs are the same as the signs in France, China, etc. or whether each country has a distinct set of signs that deaf people use to communicate with?

Answer 1

This is one of the questions I get asked the most when I am teaching American Sign Language. The quick answer is that there are about as many signed languages as there are spoken languages. The reason for this is because sign language is a naturally-occuring, true language which develops within a localized Deaf community. Each sign language includes aspects of that culture and localized signs. There are even "dialects" within each sign language. For example, in the U.S., some words/concepts are signed differently by people on the east coast compared to people on the west coast, and people in Hawaii have signs that reflect the local spoken pidgin.

American Sign Language is most closely related to French Sign Language, because when the first formalized Deaf school was begun (later becoming the American School for the Deaf in Connecticut), the founder Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet collaborated with Laurent Clerc, a deaf teacher from France. Gallaudet brought Clerc back with him to America to assist in setting up the school. The story goes that during the long journey (they had to go by boat in 1817), Gallaudet and Clerc learned to communicate with each other.

Some international sign languages are more simliar to each other. For example, Australian and New Zealand sign language are related to British sign language. Their alphabet is signed totally different from the way that ASL and French sign language are signed. In Canada there are several sign languages, some that have more in common with ASL and some that have more in common with French sign language.

There is a sort of international sign code (Gestuno) that is sometimes used at international Deaf events such as the World Congress and Deaf Olympics, however, this is not a true sign language as it is not naturally-occuring, and for this reason is not widely used or learned. There is a sort of naturally-occuring set of gestures and language that happens when Deaf people get together, but Gestuno as a movement never gained momentum.

I used to work in the International Student Office at Gallaudet University, and I always thought it was amazing to witness Deaf students from all over the world who didn't know each others' languages communicate nontheless. ASL is my second language and I am hearing, so I certainly didn't catch on to the other sign languages as quickly as they caught on to ASL.

There is an International Sign Language Alphabet book you can get through the Gallaudet University bookstore, which is interesting to look at. It gets pretty complicated when you see the charts for the Chinese and Thai alphabets, though!

Answer 2

Each country has its own distinct sign language, but many of their signs are what is termed "iconic"--meaning they look like what they are. Keeping that in mind, there are some signs that would look at least close to the same. I recently viewed a DVD that had signing from Australia...I was able to understand maybe 25 to 30% of it. I am Deaf, live in America, just as a point of reference. By and large, at the risk of making a gross generalization, most Deaf, because they have the challenge often of trying to communicate with Hearing people, are adept and making themselves understood. So, from that vantage point, yes, deaf people from different countries would find a way to be able to understand each other. On a deep level? That would take more time. Hope this helps!

Answer 3

No, different countries will typically have different signs for their own language. This is partly because of different languages, ALL sign languages are based on the words from the spoken language(s) there. Also, being in a different country can mean having different signs, even if both countries speak something relatively common, like Chinese or English. For example, if you spoke ASL (American Sign Language) and moved to Australia, you would have to almost completely relearn your signs, because, even though both countries speak English and similar forms of it, they have developed COMPLETELY different signs for the same language. Kind of interesting, but that's just how the Deaf Communities around the world developed!

Hope this helps!

Answer 4

No.This past weekend I went to a seminar on sign language. The focus was ASL but the alphabet from two other languages were highlighted. They were Korean Sign Language and Australian Sign Language. There are some similarities between the American and Australian alphabets so I think there might be some understanding among deaf people from countries that speak the same language (America, Canada, Australia, England, etc.) but since it is based on the spoken language of that country it might be impossible for them to communicate without learning it as a 2nd language.

Answer 5

Actually, sign language is NOT international. I'm only acquainted with Guatemalan and American sign language and they're pretty different.

Wikipedia says: "Generally, each spoken language has a sign language counterpart inasmuch as each linguistic population will contain Deaf members who will generate a sign language."

However, there's an "international sign language" -- unfortunately, not all deaf people know it. Wikipedia says "International Sign, formerly known as Gestuno, is used mainly at international Deaf events such as the Deaflympics and meetings of the World Federation of the Deaf."

To find more info, go here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sign_language

Answer 6

Hi tardis! My mother works with deaf children, and I've already asked her this question. Her answer was that each country has a different sign language, but a deaf chinese person and a deaf french one will understand each other much better and quicker than a chinese and french not deaf persons

Answer 7

Asl Country Signs

Answer 8

No, signers from all over the world can't understand each other. Just as there is a variety among spoken languages in the world, there is variety among signed languages also. Also, sign languages are independent; they are not connected to spoken languages.

Answer 9

Well here's a good question! I've been asking this myself for a pretty long time! Well i don't really know but watching the news in Sign Languages here in Greece, i've noticed that the reporter spells the words in greek with his/her lips (with no sound of course.) Let's see what other people know!

Answer 10

I've heard the Brazilian sign language is based on the French one, but it has some differences.