Sign language - Is it pretty much all guess work and waving?

Don't mean to be offensive with this thread but I've long wondered about sign language and just how it works.

I get the whole "signing individual letters" thing.

26 different combinations of fingers and palms - fairly simple and it makes obvious sense.

But how do words work?

I've just watched some woman signing along to Lady Gaga singing The Star Spangled Banner before the Superbowl and when it got to the line that reads:

"Where the foe's haughty host, in dread silence reposes"....

...she tapped her left shoulder and then waved her arms in front of her a bit.

Is that a literal translation, and if so, how the fuck does that work?

I've often wondered that myself. I also didn't realise there are different variations of sign language rather than one universal language, which causes a few problems, as evidenced by this story from 2007.

Naughty Mr Tumble...

Bwfc1958 wrote:I've often wondered that myself. I also didn't realise there are different variations of sign language rather than one universal language, which causes a few problems, as evidenced by this story from 2007.

Naughty Mr Tumble...

I don't think that was a mistake by Mr Tumble - he was more than likely just thinking out loud about his co-presenter, Sarah-Jane Honeywell at the time.

Numpty 28723 wrote:

Bwfc1958 wrote:I've often wondered that myself. I also didn't realise there are different variations of sign language rather than one universal language, which causes a few problems, as evidenced by this story from 2007.

Naughty Mr Tumble...

I don't think that was a mistake by Mr Tumble - he was more than likely just thinking out loud about his co-presenter, Sarah-Jane Honeywell at the time.

I had to google who she is, don't know what Mr Tumble had just done in this picture.

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Breadman wrote:Don't mean to be offensive with this thread but I've long wondered about sign language and just how it works.

I get the whole "signing individual letters" thing.

26 different combinations of fingers and palms - fairly simple and it makes obvious sense.

But how do words work?

I've just watched some woman signing along to Lady Gaga singing The Star Spangled Banner before the Superbowl and when it got to the line that reads:

"Where the foe's haughty host, in dread silence reposes"....

...she tapped her left shoulder and then waved her arms in front of her a bit.

Is that a literal translation, and if so, how the fuck does that work?

"Some woman" being Marlee Matlin. She's the lip-reading deaf woman (and Academy award winning actress) who kicked ass on last year's Apprentice USA and made a million for a cochlea implants charity in one of the challenges. Mega famous in the States.

As regards signing the anthem - I suspect she's using short hand (no pun intended) -
as all American deaf people will know the words by heart.

Bwfc1958 wrote:I've often wondered that myself. I also didn't realise there are different variations of sign language rather than one universal language, which causes a few problems, as evidenced by this story from 2007.

Naughty Mr Tumble...

Its actually very specific and there are two broad approaches-BSL (British Sign Language ) and ISL (International Sign Language). Although there are crossovers and similarities  they are quite separate. Individual letters all have signs and so do many words .Proper names  (like Lennon for example)would be spelled out in letters. Verbs tend to be omitted and only adjectives and nouns are included.
There are regional varieties -accents and dialects _ within BSL as well. Some signs used in Lancashire would not be common in say London.
Most deaf people who sign can understand both languages- or at least make sense of them.
In the US signing usually takes place on one hand so that they can drink coffee with other whilst signing.


How do I know all this? Because Mrs Rammy  worked with deaf children in school and signed herself ( before she retired) and has  dictated this to me.
She also showed me a few interesting signs!!