Learning sign language

When I was a child, learning new things is so easy. Everything that was taught, easily sunk in. Everything that's been instructed, digested in. That's just so easy. Maybe because my brain was so spacious that everything that entered is welcome.

That time when I studied and explored sign language. I was in Elementary grade when I learned another language. It was so easy and I got high grades when it comes to exams.

Well, not for all coz we started in a group of 50 people in a class. And end up with just 20. It happened so fast that they give up learning it coz they can't. It's just so hard for them. Not for me coz, I have my Mom and Dad and my older brother who's also in a class.

In general, learning sign language is not that easy. Imagine learning a language that will change the way you communicate. From speaking to signing. From talking to being silent. From opening your mouth and utter a word to just using your hand and declare the message. That's hard indeed. But we graduated and get a certificate in that class. And until now, that language is still useful when it comes to communication.

Why?

Well, the deaf can be found everywhere. And one thing and easiest way to communicate to them and understand them is through signing. Others use pictures or writing down words just to express themselves. But still, the natural way is through sign.

But, how did we learn it? And didn't forget to use it until now?

Reasonably, one way to simply learn a new language is to join a class. In this way, you can easily adapt to the language coz you have other people to practice it. You can also see how you all struggle from learning and you can compare the hardest part of it without giving up. Also, you have them for motivation, so... It's easy for you to learn and comprehend. You will just pay money to learn. On my part, we pay $0.40 for every lesson. It can support the teacher in her travel and food.

But, today... Some try to learn on their own without having a teacher or joining a class. Well, it's somewhat practical but a harder way to learn. You can learn some words, use some websites or apps to help you more, and practice it by actually using it to the person who has the same language.

Another way of effectively learning a new language is to learn it step by step. Don't learn from it once. Remember that our brain cannot absorb everything once. We need to feed it little by little. So 20 words can be learned in one day I think. And don't forget to take down notes, every new word that you learn.

In sign language, we jot down the word and draw how you sign it. It's funny sometimes how your brain can be so creative, that you understand what you draw, but if other people try to recognize it, they can't.

So that's how we learn every word in sign, we draw it on our way. As long as we signer understand and remember how to sign it after. 

Not only sign is needed to be learned here. But the way we construct one sentence is also different. We understood in school that one sentence should be constructed with proper grammar. If not, we cannot be understood. But in sign language, everything changes. We need to jumble the grammar in a way deaf can understand. For example, instead of saying, "What is your name?" We rearrange it by, "You name what?" See? It's all different, isn't it? So, it's entirely hard to learn. But if you love what you do, you'll enjoy it sooner. Especially when you can already communicate and understand every sign that they dictate.

Now, another thing that you can do to easily learn is, do not to be afraid of practicing and using it with a person who certainly knows the language. For example, on our part... We need to talk to a deaf. It's precisely hard at first especially when you're a newbie... But one thing that is good to them is that they don't judge you. They can teach you little by little. And they're so patient in teaching. If they know that you're learning, they will appreciate you coz you at least did an effort just to communicate with them. So it's favorable to them even though you're not that good at signing. This is also applicable to other languages that you're learning right now.

Another thing that we need to learn in sign language is facial expression. I already stated this in one of my articles entitled "My hidden talent". (Just click the title if you haven't read it yet. But finish this first. 🤭)

Okay. So deaf cannot just rely on your hand that sign, but also on your facial expressions. They can easily understand your message if you know how to use the proper expression. For example, if you are asking yes/no questions... You need to raise your eyebrows.

It's like having a rising intonation when you are speaking. But if you are asking the wh questions, you need to lower your eyebrows.

This expression is typically used for questions using the signs: Who, what, when, where, how, how many, and why. Like the lower intonation when speaking.

See... It's so complicated learning a new language. But also enjoyable if you already can communicate and understand how it functions. 

Source:

• Photo by Patrick Fore on Unsplash