Sign Language Talk!

[metalangel]

I don't know BSL, only ASL, so I can't be specific.

The best headstart you can give yourself is to learn the alphabet and numbers. Both recognizing them, and getting using to make the handshapes for them yourself (BSL uses both hands for its letters).

In terms of difficulty to learn, if you already have an idea of how to work with other languages and know how they're structured, that will help you too. However, you'll find that the grammar and syntax is different, involves your face and mouth as well as your hands, and it's all streamlined (conjunctions and such? forget it) so if you were to write down what you signed, it would barely resemble English. In ASL, things like adverbs and adjectives are sometimes incorporated into how you do a sign itself, too.

Have you got a good imagination? A lot of communicating with sign language requires visualizing and indicating spatial relationships. We spent a lot of time (too much) on giving directions around the college or describing the layout of furniture in a room.

[Megumeru]

You can be authentic and learn JSL instead. I've been working on it for half a month now. Kinda' reminds me of my younger years when I first memorize all the hiragana and katakana--only this time it's using hands not writing. Trying to memorize the written kanjis and how to sign it can get pretty discouraging sometimes

[metalangel]

I think it would be outrageously difficult to find a JSL teacher in the UK. Heck, I could only find one ASL class and it had been discontinued due to lack of interest!

Forget being authentic to a game, it is vastly more important to pick a language you will actually be able to use, both to learn and maintain your skills.

[Kutagh]

I think it would be outrageously difficult to find a JSL teacher in the UK. Heck, I could only find one ASL class and it had been discontinued due to lack of interest!

Forget being authentic to a game, it is vastly more important to pick a language you will actually be able to use, both to learn and maintain your skills.

I cannot stress this point enough... Don't bother with ASL, JSL and/or BSL if it is not being used in your area. No matter how well you might train yourself, if almost nobody (in an already small-ish community) uses it then you won't be able to use it and thus will have a harder time retaining the language. Memorizing the signs for a test is pretty easy, retaining them and being able to recall when you need them is a lot harder. For example I've forgotten the signs for most countries and Dutch cities because I never use nor see those signs.

Another reason is being able to practice your signing skills with a partner will let you improve due to third party feedback on whether or not they understand what you sign. You can teach yourself as well as you can, but if you don't test it by using the signs in conversations and checking if people understand you then you will only learn how to sign it in an unreadable way...

[AaronIsCrunchy]

I would actually like to be able to use the sign language in a real-life situation should it come up, which would be more likely to find with BSL
My imagination is not bad, but can be a bit 'closed' sometimes, which is something I may have to work on. Same as the facial expressions, though I expect that will come with practice.

I already know the alphabet and numbers, thankfully, as well as the absolute basics (hello, thank you, rabbit), but with things like word order, contraction of sentences, I wouldn't have a bloody clue (if I did, I wouldn't be wanting to do a qualification in it xD)

[Atario]

rabbit

[metalangel]

Rabbit is a fun one. One my favourite memories from college was our aged teacher acting out The Tortoise and The Hare for us. The old gal really got into, we couldn't stop laughing at her characterizations.

[LordMarluxia]

Finally I topic I can easily jump into!

I found out that learning Portuguese Sign Language is very acessible here. Nearly everywhere you can find a small group of people, lead by a certified teachers you can teach you and give you a diploma for a very reasonable price.

However I thorn between learning PLS or British Sign Language as I have no intention of staying in this God forsaken country of mine! Perhaps BSL will be more useful in the future.

[metalangel]

A quick Google reveals that PSR is derived from Swedish sign, which might be in turn related to BSL. I'm not sure how mutually intelligible they will be (ASL and LSF are directly related and I think it's 60% for them) so it might be best to wait until you can learn the one you intend to use?

[AaronIsCrunchy]

A quick Google reveals that PSR is derived from Swedish sign, which might be in turn related to BSL. I'm not sure how mutually intelligible they will be (ASL and LSF are directly related and I think it's 60% for them) so it might be best to wait until you can learn the one you intend to use?

I find the whole idea there are even different sign languages, let alone cognates and developmental similarities between all, really fascinating. I mean, I suppose it makes sense that they would be different, but given that many are visual representations of the word, why?

Definitely looking more into this.

[metalangel]

I find the whole idea there are even different sign languages, let alone cognates and developmental similarities between all, really fascinating. I mean, I suppose it makes sense that they would be different, but given that many are visual representations of the word, why?

Definitely looking more into this.

Sign languages developed whenever there were people who needed them to communicate. It was only in the last two centuries that serious efforts to record and study and teach the languages formally were made. People then set out to share the languages around the world by setting up schools for the Deaf and that's why you can find these language families spread far and wide.

Not every concept (a sign doesn't necessarily have a direct translation into a written word) can be represented visually.