Is sign language an international language?
547613
There are many sign languages.  Users of different sign languages cannot understand each other, just as users of different spoken languages cannot understand each other.\n\nYour question suggests you think there might be sign language equivalents of spoken languages, i.e. Arabic sign language is used in places where people speak Arabic.  This is not true because sign languages are created and used by themselves; they are not signed versions of spoken languages.  Nicaraguan Sign Language, for example, was created entirely by deaf children who lived in the same school in Nicaragua; it is not a signed version of Spanish.  American Sign Language also is not a signed version of English -- it has its own syntax and is very different from English in some respects.  I hope this clears that up.\n\n(Actually, there is a signing system called Signed English that IS a signed version of English but it's not considered a language.)
1171367
My daughter is deaf so how dare u  act like this she relies on sign language, i wonder how u would feel living in a silent world and needing sign language please think before u ask stupid questions.
780680
maybe you need to look at different places like Rochester or Galludet or any college or high school that teach sign language to find the sign language midterm. I'm in ASL III Class, so mid term should not be easy to do and find.
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You think in your primary language, right? I'm learning sign language and sometimes I think in sign.  Its very frustrating when I'm writing things and I can't thing of the English and I want to just write the sign, but I can't.\n\nShort and simple, yes
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Sign language is always 2 handed. It takes a long time to learn but you can get the basics down very quickly by going to the store(good book store) and buying a book called the JOY of signing. It illustrates and shows the correct usage too. Work on everyday words for now. Sign language is very literal you don't need to sign all the little words for her to get the gist of the conversation. Don't expect to be fluent in less than a year. Make sure she knows you are just learning and you are doing it for her.
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You might try the sign language books at the public library.
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Children (deaf or hearing) learn sign language at the same speed as hearing children learn spoken language, as far as research can tell at the moment.  The two differences are:\n\nfirst, that due to the difficulty of controlling vocal chord muscles compared to arm and hand muscles, babies are able to produce recognisable signs at an earlier age than they can produce recognisable words, and \n\nsecond, deaf children will only learn sign as fast as hearing children learn spoken languages if they are exposed to sign at the same age (i.e. from birth) and to the same amount (i.e. all the time) as hearing children hear spoken language.\n\nIf you are asking this question because you have a deaf child, or know someone who has, I have three recommendations if you don't know sign yourself.\n\n1. Get a deaf babysitter to come and visit often to sign to the baby.  As he/she gets older, contact your local Deaf organisation and get involved there.\n2. Learn sign yourselves.  It will take you years to become fluent and you won't learn it fast enough to significantly help your child (that's why you need the babysitter) but it will be of great help when they're older.\n3. Also learn Cued Speech (link below). This is not sign, it's a way of making spoken English "visible" to deaf people and it has three good features: it's very quick to learn (20 hours), it will help your child understand English and it can be used as well as sign, not just instead of.
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I learned sign language from a deaf teacher. it was thew best way becuase there was only one way to communicate. its the same way i learned spanish as a kid. just have someone only speak english to you
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I recommend simplified, it's so much easier and many of the world now use simplified instead of traditional, once you know simplified, you will know traditional. Seriously, I think people who only know traditional is bit out-dated, no offence though.\n\nWell, in most countried, the signs are in simplified, but I think in Taiwan and Hong Kong it is in traditional though. Malaysia, Singapore etc etc use simplified.\n\nReally, learn simplified, it's easier, more useful and better. Too many strokes in traditional.\n\nBtw, you are not a "da ben dan", maybe "da cong ming", jia you, xue xi shun li! ;)
549714
ASL in America\nThe history of ASL is long and rich. Much of its early development, however, remains poorly documented. One reason for this is that, like spoken languages, the early forms of signed languages are not preserved. While we can establish the time and circumstances under which education and thus formal instruction in English and various forms of signing, were brought to deaf people in the United States, we have little idea about the structure of the language which deaf people used prior to this. In spite of the paucity of information about earlier forms of signed language, we should not doubt that deaf people did communicate with each other in a natural signed language. Even before hearing people began to take an interest in their education, we can be sure that deaf people used a signed language.\n\nAmerican Sign Language (ASL) is the visual/gestural language which is the primary means of communication of deaf people in America and parts of Canada. Current estimates are that between 100,000 and 500,000 people use ASL (Padden, 1987). This includes native signers who have learned ASL as their first language from deaf parents, hearing children of deaf parents who also learned ASL as their native language, and fluent signers who have learned ASL from deaf people (Padden, 1987).
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yes. what you are talking about is solfege. It is the international language of musicians and can be translated into any language.It started of in Italy. It is used a lot in singing as well as sight-singing as well as intervals and major and minor keys.
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Yes, Columbia College.  Check out RID's website for a database of schools that offer sign language as a major.
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It depends on your current level of education and where you live.  Regulations vary.  You may need to do an undergraduate degree in education and then a masters degree in deaf education.  HOwever, if you mean simply interpreter, not teacher, you need to do courses in American Sign Language.  Gallaudet Univeristy is one of your best sources of information on this topic.
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English, French, Spanish, German, Chinese and Arabic are the official languages of the United Nations
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Not only is sign language not universal it differs from region to region in the US, sort of like dialects among speaking people. I've seen a deaf person from the south argue with a deaf person from the north about what a certain sign should be.\n\nBut for the most part, someone fluent in American Sign Language can communicate with other signers anywhere in the US.  Leave the US and there are some signs that are the same but most are not.\n\nLearning basic signs for very basic communication is not hard. But ASL itself takes years of study since it is a separate language with its own syntax and usage rules that are much different than spoken english.
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Here is a free screensaver of sign language. \n\n  http://www.palatineinc.com/contact.htm
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Deaf people would go to great lengths to free up their hands. If they can't they would still be able to communicate to an extent. Sign language, for the most part, is conceptual. One doesn't have to follow the grammatical rules as gospel to convey an idea or story. \n\nIn addition, sign language isn't used with just the hands. Facial expression, and body movement is HUGE part of sign language. If one person's arm is full, they can still communicate pretty well. Even in the case when both hands are full, they can still communicate.\n\nIf worse comes to worst, they can always speak to each other and read the other's lips. Most deaf people wouldn't want to do this. I mean, would you honestly want to use something you can't fully understand? There's a lot os guess work done in lip-reading ("I love you," and "elephant shoes"). Not only that, but deaf people aren't confident about their speaking skills since they can't hear it.