In case you missed last month’s Hot Topic, it featured some intriguing facts about the history of the Paralympic movement and how a similar event—specifically for deaf people—was eventually recognised before the International Olympic Committee. But what you may not know about the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (ICSD) is that this governing body for sport was established in 1924 and celebrated its 100th anniversary on August 10th of this year.
The Echoing Silence: The World Federation of the Deaf
The International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (ICSD) was established in 1924 to organise sports competitions for deaf athletes, leading to what we now know as the Deaflympics. The heavy focus on sporting events brought members of the Deaf community closer together internationally and provided a platform for interaction beyond borders.
The devastation of World War II and the formation of the United Nations in 1945 prompted international cooperation and a heightened awareness of human rights, which also included many previously marginalised communities, including those who were deaf or hard of hearing.
Types of Deafness
The World Federation of the Deaf (WFD) was founded on September 23rd, 1951, closing the 27-year gap since the inception of the ICSD. Through their work with the UN and World Health Organisation (WHO), this organisation recognises that deaf individuals worldwide encounter various barriers, including:
accessing education
social isolation and stigma
limited job opportunities
difficulties in communicating with hearing individuals
Subsequently, this is also why the last week of September was chosen to mark the start of the International Week of Deaf People, which starts strong on the 23rd of September with our chosen topic for this month: International Day of Sign Languages: Sign up for Sign Language Rights!
Finding Your Voice: Languages Explained
A language is a communication system that allows for the orderly expression of thoughts, ideas, emotions, and information. It is a bit like a toolkit or a set of rules that others can follow and understand, consisting of a mix of symbols, sounds, or gestures.
Consider spoken languages, for example. They use the sounds typically produced by our voice boxes and convert them into tangible words and sentences that are spoken in a specific manner. While all voices can differ due to dialects and accents, phrases can hold different meanings in other languages. When a language is spoken, whether well-known or not, each language uses a specific set of sounds and rules to form words and sentences that others who understand the language can interpret.
Written languages are also considered a different type of language as they are visual representations of their spoken counterparts. Instead of using sounds, they use symbols, such as letters and punctuation marks, to represent words and sentences. For example, writing in English uses 26 symbols representing letters from the alphabet and punctuation marks construct sentences, allowing people to read and understand what is being communicated.
According to Ethnologue, a site that documents current languages, over 7,000 languages worldwide, ranging from Arabic to Zulu, are used today. Each of these languages can be learned, spoken and written by anyone with unique stories to tell in a distinctively diverse manner. This also includes some types of sign languages that have been legally recognised and defined.
Imagine you are at a concert or festival, standing in a large, excited crowd. The headliners finally take the stage, and the show begins with a burst of energy. Amid the excitement, you might not immediately notice someone else on the corner of the stage. This person is not part of the band or a rogue dancer that security missed—it is a Sign Language interpreter. They are there to translate the music, lyrics, and energy of the performance for fans in the audience who are deaf or hard of hearing, ensuring everyone can equally enjoy the experience.
Unfortunately, the WFD states that 60% of countries have yet to legally recognise their national sign language, so a sign language interpreter may not be present when attending a music festival or concert abroad. Even though millions of people may use a sign language to communicate, it still has no legal protection as a spoken language, little investment in resources like interpreters, limited access to education, and a lack of recognition when policies are made.
This sign language family tree, posted by Deaf Education Without Borders, illustrates how many types of sign languages have emerged and evolved.
Meaningful Actions: Why Care About Sign Languages?
Remember: Deaf people can speak, but may choose not to for various reasons, such as personal preference, comfort, or the desire to communicate using sign language instead.
One of the most prevalent misconceptions about sign language is that it is just one singular universal language exclusively used and understood by those who are deaf or hard of hearing.
This is false. Sign language is a visual communication method that uses gestures, facial expressions, and non-manual features such as unconscious reactions or lipreading. The gesture is the primary focus, but body language may also be used to help describe inflexions. Some sign languages also use speech and pictures to aid communication further, and some sign languages may have a left-handed or right-handed version.
Like spoken and written languages, each sign language has unique rules, vocabulary, and grammar distinctions. For example, Fingerspelling (the signing of alphabet letters) can differ among sign languages. In American Sign Language (ASL), all letters can be signed using one hand, while in British Sign Language (BSL), Auslan, and Makaton, only one letter can be signed per hand.
As it will take a while to cover all 300 types of sign language used globally in the sufficient detail they deserve and to keep this Hot Topic as concise as possible, here is a summary of the particular origins and usage of these four sign languages:
American Sign Language (ASL)
American Sign Language (ASL) is a visual language used in the USA and parts of Canada. It has its own grammar and rules, uses one hand only for its alphabet, and differs from spoken English.
American Sign Language (ASL) started in the early 1800s when an American educator named Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet wanted to improve education for deaf students. Searching for answers, he visited Europe to learn more and fell in love with a French deaf teacher named Laurent Clerc. Together, the pair returned to the U.S. in 1817 and set up the first school for deaf students in Hartford, Connecticut.
Inspired by a mix of French Sign Language (LSF, short for Langues de Signes Français), local American signs, and individual deaf communities, this sign language was officially recognised as a proper language in the 1960s in the form used today, and it is protected under laws such as the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.
Australian Sign Language (Auslan)
British Sign Language (BSL)
Makaton
Etiquette on How to Listen to The Deaf
Understanding how to communicate respectfully and attentively is crucial to understanding sign language. To conclude, here are some simple tips to help kickstart a conversation with someone who is deaf or hard of hearing:
Be mindful that not all deaf people in any country specifically use one language. Some may use speech, some sign, and some do both.
Get their attention gently with a gentle tap on the shoulder, waving or through writing/typing instead.
Keep your temper, and bear with them. They are also human beings and are not necessarily being rude if they ignore your cues.
Avoid covering your mouth, chewing, eating or moving around, as this can make lip-reading harder. Face them directly as you talk.
Likewise, speak at a regular speed without exaggerating, shouting your words or slowing down. Keep an eye open for the sign for "slow" (which in BSL is a hand brushing upwards towards the elbow), and remember that some people may not even hear you when you raise your voice.
Always ask if they need assistance, but do not assume. If they decline, respect their independence.
Learning simple signs, such as fingerspelling, can go a long way toward communicating and showing respect for the language.
When in a group, ensure that they can see the speaker at all times and make sure that only one person is speaking at a time
Technology has come a long way. Be open to using text-based devices, apps, or speech-to-text technology if they prefer to.
Follow their lead. Respect their choice of communication method, whether they prefer sign language, lip-reading, or technology.
If you know the sign, try to sign it!
If not, try writing and gesturing to other objects with similar meanings.
Discussion Points for Democracy, Rule of Law, Tolerance and Equality and Diversity
What needs to change when it comes to legally recognising sign language?
Should there be a universal form of sign language?
What impact did the COVID-19 Pandemic have on those relying on sign language?
What shows or events have you seen that have been adapted to Deaf audiences?
Comments