Waz and others English folks

Liza

Liza

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I am curious. As an user of BSL, do you expect others from other countries to know the sign language?

I am asking this because of my experience last year at Deaf Way2 in DC with a couple of deaf British artists. I worked as an artist liasion and gallery docent (for Sweden embassy, tho).

I remember when a group of artists arrived, their liasions weren't there to meet them. I was, even though they weren't assigned to me; when I led a couple to their room at Clerc Hall - one of them was signing to me in BSL completely, two handed and all. I tried to tell her that I did not know BSL and she could either write down or use obvious gestures. But she kept on signing... ahhhh.... she was a nice lady, though. I did recruit one of the british artists to teach me the whole BSL abc in a day, two handed. That really helped me. :laugh2: Thanks Mister Sarce!

Just thought it was rather interesting that I got a vibe from the lady artist that BSL was "supposed" to be known world wide. Is that true for you as well?
 
Sunny taught me BSL abc's! :mrgreen: but unfortunately I forgot most of them :-\, I need someone to refresh my mind, heh.
 
DO you mean that the ABC's fingerspells use both hands? If so, are the vowels on each four fingers and a thumb? Example: A - thumb, E - index finger, I - middle finger, O - ring finger, and U - pinky finger... is that right?
 
Yessss, Chel! Haha, allison. Perhaps Wax could make a vid of himself signing the whole abc to refresh our memory! I am sure there are some good links... *hint, hint, Waz*

I was quite surprised to find that Norwegian Sign Language's ABCs were very similar to the manual signed ABC that ASL folks use. The French also had some influence on the sign language when the Danes and Swedes ruled Norway for a while, I suppose.
 
Ah ha! Then I have memorized the ABC's old time fingerspelling (with both hands) since I graduated from High School. :mrgreen:
 
Hi there,


i am happy explain all of this and hope this make u clear understanding, first thing, BSL is not a worldwide known, Basicially i heard that ISL is a worldwide languages for deaf peoples as the finger spelling is very same to ASL.. I know that Australian sign languages is very similair to BSL.. but all i can say the person who say BSL is well known sign lanuages every country is obvousily wrong! :)
 
Ahhh! Hehe is that also what the deaf Aussies use? I saw some refer to Aslan (?), though.
 
Thanks Waz! What is ISL? I was thinking of Universal sign language. At least, we had some training in that a little before DW2.
 
Originally posted by Waz
Hi there,


i am happy explain all of this and hope this make u clear understanding, first thing, BSL is not a worldwide known, Basicially i heard that ISL is a worldwide languages for deaf peoples as the finger spelling is very same to ASL.. I know that Australian sign languages is very similair to BSL.. but all i can say the person who say BSL is well known sign lanuages every country is obvousily wrong! :)
Click to expand...

Maybe it was from the time when England had a control of almost all the countries in the world, like 3/4 of the land? I may be wrong with number but anyway, maybe that also affected the sign language of the countries that were under British Empire. Australia, New Zealand, etc... etc... Does India also use two handed ABC? Anyway, I do know the BSL ABC and some BSL but starting to forget it lately :(
 
Originally posted by Liza
Thanks Waz! What is ISL? I was thinking of Universal sign language. At least, we had some training in that a little before DW2.
Click to expand...

LOL, i will try and do sum BSL clip of myself and send it here once i get photoshop software and sum help from Kevbo as he is the clever one ;)

ISL stand for International Sign Languages...
 
Originally posted by kuifje75
Maybe it was from the time when England had a control of almost all the countries in the world, like 3/4 of the land? I may be wrong with number but anyway, maybe that also affected the sign language of the countries that were under British Empire. Australia, New Zealand, etc... etc... Does India also use two handed ABC? Anyway, I do know the BSL ABC and some BSL but starting to forget it lately :(
Click to expand...

that true as Australian (AUSLAN) and New zealand is similair to BSL, Apparently when i went to Punjab (India) sum of my cousins sign ASL so i guess the American Provides sum deaf awareness to India in the Past!
 
LOL thanks waz! ISL and USL.. haha which sounds better, though?
 
ermmm i would like ISL better as USL sound wierd as we are not alone on earth! ;)
 
What about Earth Sign Language? :lol:
ESL sounds like English as a Second Language, though...
 
I know Sweden ABC's!! (in sign) I didn't forget that 1 yet! LoL ((we have an exchange student at RISD from Sweden))
 
God, don't confuse me more. Ally and others from RISD are doing a decent job teaching me sign, I believe mostly signed english. By the way people are talking, BSL sounds extremely confusing.

Speaking about other languages, try working in a college situation where there are alot of Grad students from India and China and other countries. I get them all the time and have no clue at what they are trying to tell me.
 
I sign LSF (French SL) pretty good and I also know German SL, but need to practise both SLs. At DeafWay II I was with the French group for the whole evening, and chat with them. Had a good time. When I go on trip to other country, I always am excited to learn their SL and try to communicate with them. The most strange SL I ever saw I would have to say Czech or Russian.
 
In Northern Ireland, we use both BSL and ISL.
ISL isn't International Sign Language, it is actually Irish Sign Language used by Rep of Ireland.

Since Northern Ireland is part of UK so we use BSL but also use ISL as well for meeting deaf from Rep of Ireland as well for those in N Ireland who don't use BSL.

Where you got the idea of International Sign Language from? It doesn't even exists.
 
Yea, international sign language exists. Its a language everybody can use. I've seen it. :wiggle:
 
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