To Table of Contents different groups of people interacting with each other . International Sign Language is the visual language of communication .
Angela Lynn loves International Spoken Language and Sign Language which she finds fascinating especially when meeting people who do not speak entirely in American Sign Language . She admits to being a bit rusty from not using it very often , but hopes to master it in order to communicate with deaf people from different countries who do not know American Sign Language . No universal sign language exists but Angela Lynn is familiar with a number of international sign languages : Malaysian , French and Arabic She is also familiar with spoken and written languages in French , Malay , Spanish , and Arabic .
Differences between sign languages in each country
Every country ’ s sign language differs depending on their culture and dialect . Different sign languages are used in different countries or regions as the international spoken language . Angela Lynn has observed that some countries are embracing American Sign Language functionality in their sign language . Interestingly , most countries with the same spoken language may not have the same sign language as others . For example : There are three different sign languages in English : American Sign Language ( ASL ), British Sign Language ( BSL ) and Australian Sign Language ( Auslan ).
Sign languages in different accents
Sign languages are natural languages which have the same linguistic properties as spoken languages . They have evolved over the years in various deaf communities throughout the world . Again , each country has its own sign language , and the regions have dialects , similar to the many languages spoken worldwide . If you were to travel to another state and have an opportunity to sign with a person who knows American Sign Language , you may notice that s / he will use some signs differently than you . These signs are known as “ regional ” signs , and you may think that they are equivalent to an “ accent ”. This does not mean that people in your state sign inappropriately . It ' s just a natural variation of American Sign Language , and such regional signs add flavor to your understanding of American Sign Language in the same way as tones do to a spoken language .
Teaching yourself sign language
Many of the individual signs are fairly easy to learn . Like any spoken language , American Sign Language has its own grammar and syntax rules . To learn enough signs for basic communication and sign them comfortably , it can take approximately 6 months to a year , or longer . Everybody learns sign language in their own way and if you are patient , you will learn it . The reward is worth the effort ! " Oftentimes , people fail to realize that signing has many advantages over spoken languages ," Angela said .
Basic things one can do in order to communicate with someone who is deaf
There are several ways to better communicate with a deaf person . Angela Lynn ' s insights include :
1 . Stand in front of a deaf person . Make eye contact and keep the conversation going with gesture communication .
2 . Use your body language and gestures – deaf people do it all the time .
3 . Keep your distance so you can improve lip reading and body language . 4 . Take turns . Give each other a chance to respond 5 . Repeat and re-phrase , if necessary
6 . If you don ' t understand , write on paper , or use a computer to communicate