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by A.G. Richard Perera

Sign language - with the meanin in Sinhala.

The main heritage of deaf persons is and has always been sign language, because mankind cannot survive without a language with which to communicate with his fellow beings. There was however a time when sign langauge used by deaf persons was strictly prohibited.

Indeed, in more recent years it has been pronounced that those who repress sign language actually repress deaf persons because sign language is a language peculiar to deaf persons and is an important part of the deaf culture. It is as rich and eloquent as the spoken language as is known only by those who use it extensively.

Sign language in this country as in all other countries, is a very important part in the daily lives of all deaf persons. Yet, most people know very little about sign language presuming it to be only gestures or something understood only by people who are deaf. Because so little is known about sign language here, it has contributed to the absence of sign language as a method of instruction in classrooms for deaf children.

It has been proved beyond doubt that sign language is actually a language in its own right. It is defined as a seeing language while spoken language is defined as a hearing language.

There are some people who claim that sign language cannot be a language because it is not spoken. This is a fallacy because language has also been defined as a method of communication, so that if you are able to ask questions and receive satisfactory answers in sign language, then it should necessarily be a language.

Just as there are numerous spoken language in the world, so has each country its own variety of sign language. Even in Sri Lanka where there are a number of schools for the deaf, there are small variations in some of the signs used by deaf persons for particular concepts.

However, these are generally understood by deaf persons when they communicate and if any particular signs are unclear or unfamiliar, questions are asked by those who follow the signers.

As stated earlier, most countries have their own sign languages. A deaf person travelling abroad would not immediately be conversant with the signs used by deaf persons in another country without a study of the sign language of that particular country.

However, communication barriers between different sign languages could be surmounted more easily than those of the spoken language.

An international sign language called GESTUNO has now been developed by the World Federation of the Deaf and those deaf persons who have studied this language would find it easier to communicate with each other from whatever country he may come from.

This international sign language is used in international gatherings of deaf persons such as the World Congress of the Deaf which is convened once in four years.

Many hearing people, when they commence to study sign language, omit to study the grammar in sign language. The result is that signs are used to represent words rather than the concept which is also wrong because the use of sign language sentences is quite different from the use of written or spoken sentences.

Some suggestions to help you use sign language in a natural way is to remember that a good signer uses facial expressions and body language in signing. Use signs with a natural and expressive gesture to be more effective. Your hands should be comfortably held at chest level when you are between signs.

Whether or not you are a good signer will depend on a number of factors such as clarity and accuracy in producing the signs, smoothness, rhythm and speed of production will all contribute to your skill. Practise is also important to develop your skills and this is best done with those who use that language.

To learn any language one will need time, effort, patience and interest and so is it with sign language. At the World Congress of the Deaf which is held once in four years, most of the communication and lectures are in sign language as participants from numerous countries are all deaf.

Those who have any difficulties in following the International sign language, bring their own sign language interpreters to facilitate understanding and/or communication with the various sign languages. So whatever the vocal language may be, there is always a sign language for each and all of them.

If we make a comparison between sign language and the spoken language, all spoken languages, in the world function in the same way. They comprise a combination of sounds and are pronounced one word at a time. Words follow one another in an order.

Communication by speech is based on the production of sounds and receiving audibly. The ear can receive only one word at a time. Compared with hearing, sight functions in a different way. It can receive much more information simultaneously, e.g. a complete signed sentence.

The difference between spoken language and sign language are based on the different functions of sight and hearing. When signing the hands, the face, the whole body can produce information at the same time, when speaking however, two words cannot be produced at the same time.

Finger spelling is a very important means for communication for the deaf and is a method as distinct form of sign language. Sign languages developed in daily life but the Sinhalese Finger Spelling alphabet had to be carefully studied and evolved, similar to the spread - out of the keys of the English alphabet on a typewriter.

Finger spelling will prove invaluable when you do not have a particular sign for a concept. Many people will not feel familiar or comfortable with finger spelling when they encounter it for the first time. They may also feel discouraged when they find themselves unable to position their fingers correctly. This problem can be overcome only with practice and patience.

The definition of sign language as adopted by the World Federation of the Deaf is that "sign language is an independent language with its own grammatical structure. It is produced gestrally and received visually." Sign language is the only language that deaf children acquire without being taught, as their first language, in the same way that hearing children learn their first spoken language.

A child born deaf or who becomes deaf at an early age does not usually feel sorry for himself or herself. A deaf child is satisfied and happy about being deaf. Contrary to this, the hearing parents of the deaf child find themselves in a quandary in that society and tends to regard deafness as a problem.

The deaf child will gradually become aware of this attitude of society and will begin to regard deafness as something undesireable and to wish that he or she could hear and speak. Those kind of attitude is a poor starting point in life. Society should not shift the blame for its problems regarding deafness on the deaf child who is originally fully satisfied with himself or herself. In such a situation it is society rather than the deaf child which appears to be in need of help.

Deaf children learn sign language more readily from deaf adults rather than from other Deaf children or from hearing persons. This is why it is important that deaf children have the opportunity to communicate with and integrate with deaf adults and not only with hearing members of their families who know sign language.

Sign language plays an important part in the development of a deaf person as sign language fosters positive self - concept attitudes towards deaf persons and removes the cloak of ignorance regarding deafness and deaf people. Sign language also expands opportunities of deaf people to education, professional advancement, employment and social standing. Research had already shown that sign language is a legitimate language of its own like other languages.

In sign langauge facial expressions and body langauge are equally important as the hand positions, if not more so. It is necessary that all of these be co-ordianted to properly convey the intended meaning. Signs showing emotions e.g. "happiness" or "sadness" should show the appropriate expressions on the face. When the sign for "tired" is made, the whole body indicates a sag, while the sign for "strong" calls for a show of strength by even throwing the back and the chest forward.

Head movements and facial expressions can completely change the meaning of a sign. For instance when the sign for "like" is accompanied by a pleasant expression it is clearly indicative of enjoyment, while exactly the same sign accompanied by a negative shaking of the head will portray "dislike". Deaf people do not focus so much on reading each others hands as they do on reading the face and overall body langauge.

It is common for those learning sign language to have difficulty in understanding other deaf people signing to them. This is true even with the spoken language. You may have learned a foreign langauge and felt that you spoke it very well only to find yourself unable to understand what the native user was telling you. To understand native users of any langauge will require exposure over a period of time.

Sign langauge is peculiar to deaf persons. I will give you one small example: If you visit a school for the deaf where sign langauge is prohibited or is not used in the classroom and not used as a method of instruction, you will still notice that when the children are away from the classroom, most, if not all of them will use only sign langauge in communicating with each other. Does this not prove that sign langauge is the first langauge of deaf persons?

In many western countries deaf persons have reached the pinnacles of success and hold distinguished positions such as doctors, professors, lawyers, engineers, Members of Parliament etc. This was made possible because they had their education in their own langauge which is sign language.

We have not been able to achieve as much in Sri Lanka because we insist on oralism and by which we limit their achievements thus denying them the right to education in their own langauge. Have any of you stopped to think that Beethoven, who was one of the greatest Composers in the world, was himself Deaf?

Remember however, that what we cannot and should not do is to invent New Signs or discard existing signs. When there is no Sign for a concept, finger-spelling is generally used e.g. names of persons and place names etc.

When you are introduced to or meet someone, names are usually exchanged, but in the case of deaf persons, they will first ask to know your sign and thereafter ask to know your name. If you do not have a sign they will invent a sign too you in accordance with your name.

The World Federation of the Deaf believes, and so do we, that it is important to obtain adequate publicity to the cause of deaf persons and to their Sign langauge. When hearing people develop a better understanding of deaf people and their Sign langauge and these gain better self-reliance, misconceptions, and prejudices will be eliminated and there will be a better working relationship between the Deaf and the hearing public.

The writer is a member of Sri Lanka Central Federation of the Deaf, Member, Editorial Board of Sri Lankan Sign Dictionary and Retired Project Officer and co-ordinator of the Sign Langauge Research Group of the National Institute of Education, Maharagama.

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