Spanish Sign Language?

Question

I've learnt some British Sign Language (BSL) through working with service users with impaired hearing in the UK, but when I worked with people with impaired hearing in South America none of them used a standardised sign langauge.

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I know American Sign Langauge is very different from BSL, is it the same with Spanish Sign Language? Or is there a standardised Spanish Sign Language?

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It's just something I'm interested in and I thought some of you might know.

Answer 1

I found the Spanish sign alphabet link text

And another interesting link link text

They even have an English/Spanish phrasebook for sign language. link text

I had enough trouble learning BSL I don't think I will ne learning the Spanish one too.

Gracias Wilbur! :) - amy_moreno, Jun 20, 2011

Good links. - territurtle, Jun 20, 2011

Answer 2

Wow! ASL uses one-handed signs for each letter of the alphabet. All forward-facing, too.

video

I added a video...sign language is best seen. :-) - webdunce, Jun 20, 2011

Great idea webdunce! :) - amy_moreno, Jun 20, 2011

Answer 3

All sign languages are much more than an alphabet, they consist of signs for particular words, which may be emphasised or altered by facial expressions.

The alphabet is a good place to start though as it at least lets you spell your name. Most Deaf people also have a sign name as it is easier to use a single sign than spell out a name all the time. I use a capital D for Deaf as that is how Deaf signers in the UK designate themselves.

My sign name, given by my teacher, was ferret, as I keep ferrets, another student was called diver, as diving is her hobby, another was trumpet, you get the idea.

Our teachers sign name was a flick of the fringe as that was a very distinctive habit of hers.

I'll shut up now I could talk about sign language for hours. .

I didn't know that about sign names. I just leared some signing through work and never had proper lessons. Was it much harder than learning a spoken-word language, Wilbur? - amy_moreno, Jun 20, 2011

Answer 4

As I understand it, ASL (American Sign Language) is more than an alphabet. Much of common vocabulary has dedicated gestures that are not language-specific. It would be interesting to know if some of that universal expression language is common across countries' borders.

Yes, ASL is a complete language with its own grammar...not to be confused with SEE (signing exact english), which is tedious and boring, or Pidgin Sign Language, which is what most hearing people end up learning (basically using signs + basic grammar... - webdunce, Jun 20, 2011

...of English...but not to the idiotic level of SEE) SEE is mostly useful in teaching deaf people English, but it is not an effective way for deaf people to communicate. - webdunce, Jun 20, 2011

But it is a lot of good ol' pantomime, too. I'm afraid I only remember a few signs. :-( - webdunce, Jun 20, 2011