Why should you learn BSL ?

(Or any other sign language)

After I let Hearing people know I use BSL as well as English, I often get a lot of similarly themed questions. Here are some that pop up again and again
(Click the ▶ arrows for further insight and a more thorough reasoning)

Remember, not every Deaf person will know BSL. In fact, some Deaf people won’t know any sign languages, or possibly even want to use sign language! Some prefer to speak, some prefer to have things written down… everyone is allowed to communicate in their preferred way. It’s very easy to find out which way is best– ask them 🙂

Isn’t Sign Language just for Deaf people?

Nope, but I can understand why some people think this is the case.

Sign Languages, whether BSL or otherwise, were all initially developed by a local Deaf community for the local Deaf community. There is a significant cultural tie between societies and languages, much like how there is a difference in spoken English across the world (and even just across one country!)

Much like with spoken and written languages, people outside of the community are welcome to learn and use it. However, it is important to be respectful when coming across someone using Sign Language; much like you wouldn’t insult someone else’s spoken language.

Imagine going abroad to a country that doesn’t use English. How difficult would it be to get around a city? How about a remote village? Imagine if everyone you met told you (in their language) how beautiful English is, or how they learnt how to spell ABCs, or how they want to learn it… but then never do…

Now imagine if you found someone that did speak English. Maybe not fluently, but enough to communicate your needs. How relieved would you feel? How much more excited would you be to be able to fully engage with what’s happening in front of you?

Deaf people feel the same way– yes, BSL is tied with the UK Deaf community, but it should be something taught to all so everyone can have the same opportunities and access to information.

If they have hearing aids, won’t they be able to hear me anyways?

Hearing aids won’t fully correct hearing; they only help, hence “aids”

Pretty much all non-surgical hearing aids [external link] (the types you would commonly see, namely a little device that is wrapped around or inserted into the ear) work the same way, give or take:

1. A microphone picks up sound via soundwaves
2. This signal is sent to a processor, which identifies what pitch (frequency) and how loud (volume) the sound is
3. Depending on the user’s needs and the technology present in the processor, this processor will manipulate the soundwaves to become louder; some processors can isolate frequencies and adjust the volume accordingly rather than just make everything louder indiscriminately
4. This new signal is sent to a small speaker, which is what the user listens to

As you can see, hearing aids are already making the world around someone a lot louder, so shouting at someone wearing hearing aids might actually damage what hearing they have further (and be very painful!)

As it only makes sounds louder, it doesn’t help with distortion of sound or clarity.

I am grateful for the NHS, but hearing aids are only given out on loan, [external link] which means you may be liable to pay should your hearing aids be damaged outside of your warranty. Some Deaf people also would rather have more control and aids that look aesthetically pleasing so seek out private hearing aids; have a look at the cost of hearing aids from Boots [external link] or Specsavers [external link]…

Finally, hearing aids only work for as long as the battery has some charge– just because someone is wearing their aids doesn’t mean it is on!

It is always someone’s choice if they wish to use hearing aids. They are not obliged to wear them, nor should you feel entitled to them wearing anything on your behalf.

I think there’s something called a Cochlear Implant… won’t that work better than hearing aids? Shouldn’t all Deaf people get them instead?

Cochlear Implants and hearing aids work in different ways, so they aren’t effective for everyone

Unlike hearing aids which just amplify sound out of a speaker, a Cochlear Implant (CI) [external link] bypasses all the steps that someone’s ear drum and middle ear would perform, and just send electrical signals straight to the auditory nerve (via the cochlear [external link])

As you might imagine, this means that sound processing is a new skill as your brain begins to learn how to interpret the electrical pulses coming from the device, rather than sounds “naturally” traveling through the ear.

CIs tend to be recommended to young children [external link], who have more brain plasticity to learn this new skill and just perceive it as their “normal” ; CIs can also be recommended to adults that are no longer seeing much benefit from hearing aids and would like to explore further options.

CIs aren’t the only surgical option; there are also Bone Anchored Hearing Aids (BAHAs) [external link] and Middle Ear Implants [external link], for example. How they work and who they are best suited for won’t be the same as for CIs so please have a read if you are interested.

Due to the nature of this being a form of brain surgery, which comes with associated risks [external link], there is also the consequence of no longer having use of your ears or remaining hearing as it is rewired to connect with the CI device. Have a moment to think if this is something you would wish to go ahead with yourself.

There is some controversy within the Deaf community regarding CIs:

• Is it worth putting a child through brain surgery? Are they going to be grateful or resentful when they become adults and don’t get to make that choice themself?
• Why is there a push for CIs over being Deaf? What is so wrong about being Deaf that Hearing people would rather risk surgery instead of appreciating the beauty of diversity of the human race?
• I would feel safer walking alone if I had some hearing, even if it’s not a lot, whether it be hearing announcements at train stations or listening out for cars when crossing the road. Who are you to judge me for wanting independence?
• I’d rather have my child getting all the resources and aids they need to navigate this world. Are you saying you would intentionally let your child face discrimination when you have an option to avoid it or otherwise reduce it?
• CI surgery available for free via the NHS, but not Sign Language lessons, so no wonder why so many parents choose the surgery! If everyone had access to BSL, would this even be a discussion?

With this in mind, it is quite insulting to insist on all Deaf people to have the CI surgery. It is a personal and private decision, and you are not entitled to know the reasons behind someone’s decisions. All you need to do is be respectful.

I don’t know anyone who’s deaf… is it still worth learning BSL?

You don’t need to have a “token Deaf friend” to learn BSL.

Considering about 1 in 6 adults in the UK are deaf [external link], chances are you might already know someone who is deaf one way or another!

In fact, why only wait until after someone Deaf struggles to understand what you are saying to learn a sign language? It will always make someone’s day when you can communicate in their preferred language.

Once you learn some BSL, you will likely make new Deaf friends! Whether that be they will share the same classes as you, or you will feel more confident to attend Deaf social events, you will find doors will open to you like never before!

Also, let’s not forget that you could become deaf…

What about Makaton?

This is a communication tool that was developed to assist caregivers of those with extreme learning difficulties, and visa versa. It is not a true Sign Language.

Makaton was developed in the 1970s by a group of 3 members of staff at Botleys Park Hospital in Chertsey, Surrey [external link]; at the time, this was a Mental Asylum. The names of the 3 members form the name “Makaton”: Margaret Walker, Katherine Johnston and Tony Cornforth.

In other countries, Makaton may reflect the local sign language, but as I am speaking as someone from the UK, I will continue to discuss specifically about BSL.

Three communication modes are at play simultaneously [external link]: a verbal cue, a static visual cue in the form of simplified diagrams, and a dynamic visual cue in the form of hand gestures. The hand gestures used were in part adopted from BSL. However, a lot of the gestures were altered to no longer being recognisable to their BSL equivalents.

There is an ongoing debate within the Deaf community about the use of Makaton on a wide scale. Many Deaf people feel it is inappropriate to take BSL signs and to call it another language, especially as obnoxiously as basing it on names of Hearing people– it is appropriation [external link].

One thing that is also a slap to the face is that Makaton was a registered charity decades before BSL was officially recognised as a language (only in 2022 [external link]) It is incredibly hurtful to the Deaf community that an appropriated form of BSL had more legal protection than a language naturally developed over centuries (first recorded in the 1500s [external link])

Hearing people might not be aware of this nuance, and I have personally experienced people using Makaton to me when I mention I am a BSL user. Intentionally or not, you are suggesting I have a significant learning disability (I’m sure there is a word beginning with R that gets this point across much more offensively…)

As stated, Makaton is a tool focused on allowing people with significant learning disabilities to communicate their needs. This may be the only communication tool that works. For a lot of people, Makaton has opened up a whole new world, and has been life-changing. As such, some people feel very strongly about Makaton and feel offended when told not to use it.

Personally, I believe that a communication tool such as Makaton has its role and place in the world. However, I would prefer to have the concept changed from being named “Makaton” and given a neutral descriptive name such as “Modified BSL” Similarly, I would rather that everyone be exposed to the full language of BSL rather than being limited by the set vocabulary of Makaton (although I appreciate it is a very useful starting point!)

What about Baby Signs?

This is a communication tool focused on allowing developing babies and toddlers to communicate their needs to their caregivers. It is not a true Sign Language.

In other countries, Baby Signs may reflect the local sign language, but as I am speaking as someone from the UK, I will continue to discuss specifically about BSL.

The main issue a lot of Deaf people have with Baby Sign classes is that these groups are not for the Deaf community.

What I mean by this is that it is often ran by a Hearing person with little to no Sign Language knowledge, and no intention of learning the officially recognised BSL signs. They simply use hand gestures; many Hearing parents may be led to believe they are learning Sign Language signs.

On a similar point, Hearing children are encouraged to attend these classes. It is seen as very modern, and there are indeed many anecdotal stories of parents noticing their child using Sign Language as a baby comes first before learning spoken language. This means that babies frequently have their “first sign” before their “first word” [external link]

However, historically, parents of Deaf children are recommended to not use any sign language, and to focus solely on spoken and written languages instead. Research has now determined that this will cause a language deficit [external link] in any child’s development, but even so, NHS advice is still predominantly focused on getting the Deaf child to fit into the Hearing world.

Here is a leaflet given to Hearing parents of Deaf children [external link] Note how it discusses about audiologist appointments and getting hearing aids for the baby prior to mentioning sign language at all.

Another thing to mention is that, as the name suggests, this communication tool is designed with babies in mind. Please do not approach an adult Deaf person and use Baby Signs– you wouldn’t go up to an adult and go “wan moh miwk?” in a goo-goo-gah-gah voice, would you?

…or maybe you would…?

Would I be able to communicate with any Deaf person from around the world?

Well… it depends…

Sign Languages are not universal, much like how there is not one spoken language around the world!

There are sign language families that allow you to have more mutual intelligibility with others, but you may find yourself getting confused when signing to someone abroad.

That said, having the ability to use one sign language still puts you in a very strong position to communicate with someone else who uses a sign language, even if it’s not your own!

If I’m going to learn a language, why bother with a sign language instead of, say, French? Or Mandarin?

For one thing, BSL is native to the UK– you won’t need to travel abroad to get good use out of it!

For another thing, by having a visual language, you engage with another area of the brain [external link] than you would with spoken and written languages. By doing so, you may be able to process visual information more accurately and quickly. For example, from my personal experience, I have found it easier to understand anatomical diagraphs when given a 2D image as I am able to mentally map it onto a 3D structure.

You may also find it convenient in your daily routine.

• Perhaps you enjoy snorkeling and wish to communicate fuller sentences than the standardised hand signals?
• Maybe you enjoy clubbing but struggle to keep the conversation going with the music?
• What if you have been waiting a long long time in the queue to get a drink at the pub but you can’t remember what your friend asked you to order and they won’t pick up their phone?
• How about getting a nasty cold and your throat is too sore to speak?
• What if you are in danger and you don’t want to alert your abuser that you are calling out for help?
• Maybe you have a house party but your flatmate has to get up early in the morning, so you want to keep things as quiet as possible?
• Or maybe you simply want to gossip, or talk about something embarrassing, without someone knowing?

BSL has a long history (first documented recording in the 1500s [external link]) and a rich culture, it is truly a shame how often it is overlooked in favour of other traditionally studied languages.

There are so many reasons (including selfish ones!) to learn any language, and BSL is no different. Find out what makes you motivated and keep fueling that fire!