Sign Language, Written Language and the Deaf

INTRODUCTION

Through people in the world communicate eachother. There are two kinds of communication; verbal comunication and  nonverbal communication. The people who has perfect system organ communicate by language. The could communicate by verbal and nonverbal. As we know well, there are not all people given perfectly system on their body specially in speech organ. Some of them do not have it, then they could not produce or pronunciate and make a sound clearly as almost people did  above. Unfortunately, they also could not hear the sound. But, it does not mean they could not communicate. The people who could not produce good pronunciation and unable to hear-the deaf[1], still could communicate eachother with their own way; sign language and written language. In the fact, their way is not same as usual. However, communication occurs whenever meaning is attribued to behavior or the residu of behavior.[2] 

In this paper which is entitled “Sign Language, Written Language and the Deaf”, will discuss toward those. Such as soundless language, language without speech, gestures and sign, what the tpe of sign language, deaf education, the oral approach and the written language approach.

CONTENT

            1.      Soundless Language

Acording to the soundless language, we already known  it is mean that language could exist without a sound but only by sign. For example your teacher give a thumbs-up when you do good thing or have done something.

            2.      Language without speech

We realize some people use language anusual. On TV and social interactions there are some persons need translating to understand a speech.  They need sign language or collection of gestures Sometimes it might confusing in our mind, is it another language? In brief, we could say it is language or no. It is because of both of opinion has a reason.  Sign is a part of nonverbal communication. Its exactly has relation with language. Research shows that signer of such sign language as American Sign Language, French Sign Language, British Sign Language and certain others can indeed communicate in sign whatever is expressed in speech.[3]But if you are not agree because of  language are so complicated, has their structure, deep in linguistics and etc, you may conclude yourselves. 

3.      Gestures and signs

3.1  Gestures without speech

It means a movement without pronunce any single words. Facial movements in particular, are used everywhere to express a wide range of emotions and feeling.[4]

For example when someone say goodbye or bye bye for quite far people, they put their hands-up and move it right and left spontantly.

3.2  Gestures with speech

Some people use both gestures and speech to support what they want to say. They do not pronunce well but such a beat and lips movement. Actually they talk, but they unable to produce the sounds.

For example someone said “be silent please!” when a meeting  or spiritual program was starting. They said with hand’s movement like T but there is no sounds.

4.      Sign Languages

4.1 Types of sign language

BANZSL, or British, Australian and New Zealand Sign Language - Is the language of which British Sign Language (BSL), Auslan and New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) may be considered dialects. These three languages may technically be considered dialects of a single language (BANZSL) due to their use of the same grammar, manual alphabet, and the high degree of lexical sharing (overlap of signs).

Auslan - The sign language of the Australian deaf community. The term Auslan is a portmanteau of "Australian sign language", coined by Trevor Johnston in the early 1980s, although the language itself is much older. Auslan is related to British Sign Language (BSL) and New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL); the three have descended from the same parent language, and together comprise the BANZSL language family.

New Zealand Sign Language or NZSL - The main language of the Deaf community in New Zealand. It became an official language of New Zealand in April 2006, alongside Maori and English. Like other natural sign languages, it was devised by and for Deaf people, with no linguistic connection to a spoken or written language, and it is fully capable of expressing anything a fluent signer wants to say.

Sign Supported English or SSE - The preferred signing system for hearing people to communicate with the deaf. It uses the same signs as BSL, but unlike SE, you do not have to sign every word. It also doesn't have its own grammar system like BSL, so hearing people do not have to worry about learning a whole new grammatical structure. This can be picked up fairly quickly to expedite communication.

Signed English or SE - A signing system as well. It has one sign to represent each word in the English language, but is not a language like BSL. It is intended to be used to help with reading and writing, and has important signs to teach grammar.

International Sign - Also known as IS, is an international auxiliary language used at international meetings such as the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD) Congress and events such as the Deaflympics.

Paget Gorman Signed Speech - A signing system used with speech to help those with language difficulties. There are 37 basic signs which when combined can make over 4000 more complex ones.

Pidgin Signed English or PSE - A very crude signing system. It combines elements of BSL and spoken English to allow communication between hearing people and deaf who only know the strict confines of sign language. It is not recommended but can be used when needed.

American Sign Language (ASL) - Is a complete, complex language that employs signs made with the hands and other movements, including facial expressions and postures of the body. It is the first language of many deaf North Americans, and one of several communication options available to deaf people. ASL is said to be the fourth most commonly used language in the United States.

American Sign Language is the dominant sign language of the Deaf community in the United States, in the English-speaking parts of Canada, and in parts of Mexico. Although the United Kingdom and the United States share English as a spoken and written language, British Sign Language (BSL) is quite different from ASL, and the two sign languages are not mutually intelligible.

British Sign Language (BSL) - Is the sign language used in the United Kingdom (UK), and is the first or preferred language of deaf people in the UK; the number of signers has been put at 30,000 to 70,000. The language makes use of space and involves movement of the hands, body, face and head. Many thousands of people who are not Deaf also use BSL, as hearing relatives of Deaf people, sign language interpreters or as a result of other contact with the British Deaf community.

Mexican Sign Language - Widely used in Mexico city, Monterrey and in Guadalajara.It varies even within a country. In Mexico, most people use the Mexican sign language. It is also known as "lengua de señas mexicana", "Lenguaje de Signos Mexicano" or simply LSM. It is mainly used in the urban region by about 87000 people.

Finger Spelling - A signing system generally used alongside sign language. It is used to spell out names, places, and anything else there is not a sign for. Many times new words take longer to spell out into BSL so must be spelled before a sign is adopted.

BSL finger spelling is also different from ASL, as it uses two hands whereas ASL uses one. BSL is also distinct from Irish Sign Language (ISL) (ISG in the ISO system) which is more closely related to French Sign Language (LSF) and ASL.

Research shows that babies are not born with a blank slate of their brains when it comes to language. Sign language enables infants to speak earlier than speech language in the early stage of physical development. Next generations might be able to speak both vocally and manually.[5]

      4.2 Sign languages reppresenting spelling or speech

Sign language based on ordinary language can be of two different kinds. One such kind represents words by spelling them out in terms of individual signs, where each sign represents a letter of alphabet.[6]

   4.3 Independent Sign language(SL)

There are three basic components:

1)      Hand configuration, how the hand hand is formed         .

2)      Place of articulation, where the hand is formed.

3)      Movement, how the hand moves.[7]

5.      The Sign Language Struggle in deaf Education

Sign Language of the closet and into respectability

In the 1970s the proponents of SL began to succeed. Soon SL was actively taught in a large number of schools for the deaf in the US, Sweden, and other countries. The SL deaf community came out of the closet, so to speak. Signers began to gain confidence and pride and to communicate such feelings to the public at large. SL has become so widespread that most people in the deaf community in the United States and Canada now use ASL in communicating with one another. SL allows them to communicate in a highly efficient way with a means that is most congenial to them.[8]

6.      The Oral Approach

This approach focused on the teaching of speech production.[9]

7.      The written Language Approach

The Importance of Literacy and Essentials of the Approach

Since the hearing-impaired person’s knowledge of speech-based language is usually quite limited, the ability of that person to acquire literacy based on that knowledge is similarly limited. It is not surprising that we find that most hearing-impaired people are able to secure only low-level jobs, when they are able to secure jobs at all. A high level of literacy is essential if the hearing-impaired are to realize their potential. The essential idea of this approach is that the meaningful written forms of an ordinary speech-based language such as English or Spanish (its words, phrases and sentences) are acquired through direct association with objects, events and situations in the environment.

Historical Perspectives

Alexander Graham Bell had taught written language to a 5 years old deaf boy with some success and that 200 years before him a thinker by the name of Dalgarno had, in 1680, formulated the same approach at Oxford.

Written Language and Reading Distinguished

The main difference is that written language is learned directly from the environment without the use of any prior linguistic medium, such as sign language or speech. Reading, by contrast, is learned through a linguistic medium.

Assessment of the Written Language Approach

There are a number of distinct advantages to the Written Language Approach:

1. The learning medium is appropriate;

2. Written language knowledge need not be acquired by the instructors;

3. Instruction can begin early;

4. All hearing-impaired children can benefit;

5. Written language acquisition is compatible with other approaches;

6. Written language knowledge can facilitate speech;

7. Written language can raise intellectuality.[10]

8.  A Parting Note on Deaf Education

A number of different approaches to deaf education have been discussed. Sign Language, the Oral Approach, Total Communication, and the Written Language Approach. The hearing-impaired would benefit by the application of all of these approaches. While some approaches may be more beneficial than others, depending on the degree of hearing loss, it is a matter of justice that every hearing-impaired person should be given the opportunity to expand their linguistic skills through each and every one of them.[11]

 
CONCLUSION

Sign language and written language purpose to help the deaf and disable people to communicate with others.  They learn sign and written language also to get information as a human right. The Deaf and disable people should learn and understand the sign in each country because in every country has different sign but in same meaning like languages.

REFERENCES

   Steinberg, Danny D. (1999). An Introduction  to Psycholinguistics (Eight Impression).     USA:Longman Goup.

   Larry A. Samovar and Richard E. Porter. (1995). Communication Between Culture (Second       Ed). USA: Wadsworth Publishing Company.

   Departement of the University of Oxford. (2008). Oxford Dictionary (Four Ed.). New   York: Oxford University Press.

   Anonim. (2014). Sign Language and Deaf Communication Methods and Information.     Accessed from              http://www.disableworld.com/disability/types/hearing/communication, April 9th    2014, 1.05 pm.

   Ferdiansyah Syaiful Hijrah. (2014). Sign Language, written language and the Deaf. Belajar        Ilmu dan Amal, accessed from www.syaifulhijrah.blogspot.com,  April 9th 2014, 1 pm.

  

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[1] Oxford Dictionary, Oxford University Press, New York, 2008, page. 113

[2] Larry A. Samovar and Richard E. Porter, “Communication Between Culture”, Wadsworth Publishing company, USA, 1995, page. 27

[3] Danny D. Steinberg, An introduction to psycholingustics, USA, Longman Group , 1999, page. 68

[4] Ibid., page. 70

[5] Anonim, “Sign Language and Deaf Communication Methods and Information”, accessed from http://www.disabled-world.com/disability/types/hearing/communication, April 9th 2014 1.05 pm.

[6] Danny D. Steinberg, An introduction to psycholingustics, USA, Longman Group, 1999, page. 74

[7] Ibid., page. 76

[8] Ferdiansyah Syaiful Hijrah, “Sign Language, written language and the Deaf”, Belajar Ilmu dan Amal, accessed from www.syaifulhijrah.blogspot.com, April 9th 2014 1 pm

[9] Op. Cit., page. 83

[10] Ibid., page. 89

[11] Danny D. Reinberg, loc.cit., page. 89