British Sign Language
In the UK, some degree of deafness affects approximately nine million people, or one in seven of the population. Over two thirds of these people are over the age of 60, but approximately one child per thousand is born deaf, and around half of these children will have a severe or profound degree of hearing loss. By official figures there are at least 123,000 people who became profoundly deaf as children or adults, and 23,000 children (0-15 years old)enrolled in specially designed schools, or learning in mainstream schools with the help of hearing aids.
What is BSL?
British Sign Language (BSL) is used by over 60,000 people in the UK, and is the fourth most common language after English, Welsh and Scots Gaelic. A common misconception is that BSL is just English but using signs instead - it has its own vocabulary, structure and grammar, and can often convey many meanings through a single sign.
BSL is a visual-gestural language, which uses hand shapes, facial and bodily expressions, and gestures to express meaning. The meaning of a sign depends on how it is made, where it is placed, and the facial or bodily expression or movement that accompanies it. There are regional variations of BSL in the same way that various parts of the country have different accents, and users will often check to make sure they are agreed on the meaning of the signs they're using. Numbers are often signed differently in different parts of the UK. As with all languages, symbols are always evolving and new ones are added all the time. There is no written form of BSL, but there is a type of notation used in the BSL > English dictionary.
Many countries have their own versions of sign language, and all are very different. Even the American standard sign language differs from the British one despite both countries having English as their native language. Many countries recognise their own sign language in law, which allows it to be used in courts, and entitles users to interpreters under these and similar circumstances.
