As you know, learning a language always begins with theory. Therefore, in the first stages of learning the language of the deaf and mute, you will need to acquire self-instruction books. With their help, you will be able to study the necessary theoretical foundations that are needed to speak the language at a basic, that is, initial level. In the language of the deaf and dumb, the basics are the alphabet and the words themselves.

How to independently learn to speak the language of the deaf and mute?

If you want to learn to speak sign language, you need to have a minimum vocabulary. In the language of the deaf and dumb, almost any word can be expressed with a specific gesture. Learn the most common words people use in everyday life and learn how to pronounce simple phrases.

Special dictionaries are perfect for this purpose: the announcer shows the gesture corresponding to the word and the correct articulation. Similar dictionaries can be found on sites dedicated to learning sign language. But you can also use book-size dictionaries. True, there you will only see gestures on, and this is not such a visual way to learn words.

To speak the language of the deaf, you will also need to learn the fingerprint alphabet. It consists of 33 gestures, each of which corresponds to a specific letter of the alphabet. The dactylic alphabet is not often used in conversation, but you still need to know it: letter gestures are used when pronouncing new words for which there are no special gestures yet, as well as for proper names (first names, surnames, names of settlements, etc.).

Once you have mastered the theoretical part, that is, the deaf alphabet and the basic vocabulary, you will need to find a way to communicate with native speakers, with which you will train your speaking skills.

Where can you practice sign language?

It is important to understand that learning to speak the language of the deaf without practice is an impossible task. Only in the process of real communication can you master conversational skills at such a level that you can understand sign language well and be able to communicate in it.
So, where can you talk to native sign language speakers? First of all, these are all kinds of online resources: social networks, thematic forums and specialized sites whose audience is hard of hearing or deaf people. Modern means of communication will allow you to fully communicate with native speakers without leaving your home.

You can take a more complex, but at the same time more effective path. Find out if your city has special schools for the deaf or any other communities for the hard of hearing and deaf people. Of course, a hearing person will not be able to become a full member of such an organization. But this is possible if you learn the language of the deaf and dumb not for pleasure, but in order to communicate in it with someone close to you. You can also sign up to volunteer at a boarding school for deaf children. There you will be completely immersed in the language environment, as you will be able to truly communicate closely with native sign language speakers. And at the same time do good deeds - as a rule, volunteers are always needed in such institutions.

We are accustomed to considering oral speech to be the only and main language of people. But besides it, there are other ways of expressing words and thoughts. People with hearing loss use sign language and facial expressions for interpersonal communication. It is intended for communication between deaf people and is called sign language. Sign speech is carried out using a visual channel for transmitting information. This type of communication is not widespread and has not yet been fully studied. In our country alone, Russian sign language is used by 2 million people.

In sign language, information is transferred from the speaker to the listener through movements of the hands, eyes, or body. It is perceived through the visual channel and has the following properties:

• In sign language, the main focus is on the space around the person speaking. When communicating, it affects all levels of language.
• Unlike spoken words, which reach the ears sequentially, the language of the deaf is presented and perceived simultaneously. This helps convey more information using a single gesture.

There is no universal sign language for deaf and mute people in the world. There are more than 100 sign languages ​​used for communication between people with speech and hearing impairments. People using different gestures will not understand each other. Deaf people, like speaking people, can learn or forget the sign language of another country.

The use of sign language is expanding every year, making a primitive communication system a suitable area for expressing a variety of thoughts and ideas. Sign language is used in the educational system, on television, and video lessons. Russian sign language is used only for interpersonal communication between people.

In Europe, the language of the deaf appeared at the beginning of the 18th century. Before his advent, deaf people lived and studied in isolation from others. The first school for the deaf and dumb appeared in 1760 in France. The main task of teachers was to teach reading and writing to deaf children. To solve this problem, the old French sign language, which appeared among a group of deaf and dumb people, was used. It was slightly modified. Specially designed teaching gestures were added that were used to indicate grammar. In training, a “facial method” of transmitting information was used, when each letter was indicated by a separate hand gesture.

This training system later began to be used in Russia. In 1806, the first school for the deaf was opened in Pavlovsk. And in 1951, the World Federation of the Deaf appeared. The members of the organization decided to create a standard sign language. It was to be used for deaf professionals and public figures participating in the work of the congress.

To standardize sign language, experts from many countries, having analyzed similar gestures used by different nationalities, developed a common language for all. And in 1973, a dictionary of sign speech was published, which was prepared by the World Federation of the Deaf.

Shortly thereafter, at the VII Congress of Deafness in America, the International Language of the Deaf was created and approved, which was used for communication between deaf people from different countries who took part in world-class events.

Linguistics of sign language

Despite the prevailing opinion about the language of the deaf as a primitive language, it has a rich vocabulary and is not at all easy to use. A linguistic study was carried out, which proved the presence in the language of elements that are present in full-fledged oral speech.

The words of gestures consist of simple components - hirems, which do not carry any semantic load. There are 3 elements that describe the structure and differences between gestures:

• The position of the gesture towards the speaker's body;

The gesture can be used in a neutral space, at the same level with a part of the body without touching it.

• The shape of the hand that performs the gesture;
• Hand movement when performing a gesture.

The movement of the hand in space and the movement of the hand or fingers while the position of the hand remains unchanged are taken into account.

• Movement of hands in space relative to the body of the speaker or each other.

Gestures are schematic in nature, invented during communication, and have a distinctive connection with the visual designation of the word. The language of the deaf has its own grammar to facilitate communication on diverse topics and is not a visual repetition of ordinary language.

Distinctive features of the structure of sign language

• Specificity;

There is no generalization in the gesture, limited by the sign of the object and action. There is not a single gesture that uses the words “big” and “go.” Such words are used in various gestures that accurately convey the characteristics or movement of a person.

A gesture can represent an object. The sounds or letters that make up words, independent of the characteristics of the object, can be conveyed with a special movement of the hand. For example, to depict a house, hands show the roof, and to depict friendship, they show a handshake.

The origin of the names of things in speech is sometimes impossible to explain. The origin of gestures is easier to explain, since their history of creation and occurrence is known. But even this fades over time and becomes more sketchy.

• Imagery;

Thanks to imagery, gestures are easier to remember and assimilate. It makes gestures clearer for deaf people to communicate with each other.

• Syncretism;

Gestures have the property of unity in conveying words that are different in sound but have the same meaning. For example, fire, bonfire or video, filming. To designate synonyms in a gesture, additional features of the object are used. For example, the words “draw” and “frame” are shown to indicate a painting.

• Amorphous;

Sign language consists of concepts, but it is not capable of expressing such forms of grammar as case, gender, tense, number, aspect. For this purpose, gestural facial speech is used, which from a small number of gestures receives ordinary combinations of words. This happens by gluing (agglutination) words in a certain order:

1. A person or object is a designation of action (I - sleep);
2. The action taking place is negation (to be able to do so);
3. The designation of the item is quality;
4. The condition of an object or person (cat – sick, slightly).

• Grammatical spatiality.

Sign language conveys several phrases and words simultaneously. An expression conveyed in this way contains, in addition to gestures, also non-manual components. This is the facial expression of the speaking person, the movement of body parts, the gaze. This type of information transfer is used, like intonation in oral speech.

The language of deaf people is non-linear. Grammar is transmitted along with vocabulary, the speaker’s gesture can change during communication.

Russian sign language training

Learning sign language will take the same amount of time as any other language; special video courses will come in handy. In addition to the theoretical part, practice is required. Without it, it is impossible to master the language. Understanding deaf and mute people is much more difficult than showing something yourself. The test speech contains words or expressions that have no translation into Russian.

You can learn sign language on your own, using video lessons or a dictionary. Using video training, you can learn to use in practice when communicating with deaf people such simple but necessary words as “thank you,” “sorry,” “love.” The word “thank you” in the language of the deaf is useful in life when meeting deaf people.

Using video lessons, it is easier to learn and remember information, understand how to correctly perform a gesture, and practice repeating movements. Studying the language of the deaf, with the help of dictionaries, lectures or video lessons, solves the following problems:

• Improving speech skills through the use of sign language;
• Expanding knowledge about the linguistic component of language;
• Formation of knowledge about the language of the deaf as a natural form of communication between people, the presence of similar and distinctive characteristics with other languages;
• Familiarization with the history of the emergence of language and stages of development;
• Forming the importance of language learning and understanding the role of Russian and sign speech in the life of society.

Learning a language with the help of a special program or video lesson contributes to the development of communication in different life conditions, during informal communication with friends, parents, strangers, or when talking in a formal setting.

Today there are many languages ​​in the world, but the sign language of the deaf has a special place. In the 18th century, a special alphabet for the deaf and dumb was invented for communication among themselves, which was subsequently transformed from many branches and interpretations into the international sign language. He and his alphabet are based on gestures shown by hands, facial expressions and various turns of the body. Let's take a closer look at this language.

Where can you learn sign language?

Signing was not popular in Russia, and for every 100 deaf-mutes in Russia there were only 3 sign language interpreters, while in the West there were 30 such people. Amendments to the law on the protection of persons with disabilities in 2012 helped the development of sign language. In addition to obtaining official status, training began in relevant institutions to prepare and retrain interested people. As a result, the percentage of people wishing to learn hand sign has increased sharply.

There are many ways to learn sign language. One of them is that training is carried out in special classes. You can obtain the necessary knowledge in the following ways:

1. In deaf communities in your city, where free classes are provided for everyone. A few months will help you learn the basic aspects of gestures and test your existing knowledge in a practical way.
2. Institutes and colleges often have a subject related to sign language in their educational programs. Most often these are linguistics and sociology majors. Those who are or plan to be students can familiarize themselves with the sign language for free.
3. If you could not find free courses, then there are professional paid courses that are conducted at institutes, medical centers and special schools for the deaf and dumb.

Having learned about the places where signing is taught, let’s move on to the structure of teaching the language of the deaf and dumb.

Structure of teaching the language of the deaf and mute

There are 3 levels of mastering sign language with the following skills:

• At level 1, for all beginners, the basics, the alphabet, and vocabulary norms are covered with practical exercises;
• Level 2 is suitable for those who already have basic skills and want to acquire skills in transferring from sign to regular;
• And already the 3rd level allows you to improve your skills in linguistics and study translation in depth in simultaneous and sequential form.

Each level lasts 3 months or 50 academic hours. At the end of the course you will have a special certificate confirming your level. However, it should not be regarded as a certificate of qualification of a sign interpreter, for which you need to pass a special commission. You can try to pass this after the second year.

How to learn a deaf-mute language yourself

In addition to the previously listed methods, there is an opportunity to study sign language with the help of a tutorial. The following resources will help:

1. Websites that help you learn sign language, the most popular is the “City of Signs”. A lot of useful information can be found on social networks where specialized gesture groups are located. With their help, theory and practice are developed together with like-minded people.
2. Applications with alphabets and pictures in sign language are being created especially for mobile devices. It is enough to download the program and work with the necessary information in your free time.
3. Books are a great help in learning sign language, but only for those who are willing to put in extra effort in their studies and be patient. After all, there will be no teacher nearby to give tips. This means it will take more time to analyze the material.
4. A good option in this matter is videos with teachers speaking, but no one will correct you. The main advantage is that the material is diverse, understandable and clearly explained.

Each person independently chooses one method or another. But most people, due to lack of time, prefer to learn sign language on their own.

An example of a video lesson on learning sign language.

Starting self-study

There is one peculiarity in studying handwriting: it is often confused with drawing individual letters with one’s hands. Dactylology is used for proper names, for example, cities, names of people, localities, or for a word without a special gesture. This is important to consider when starting classes.

After choosing a specific self-study option, you need to find information resources and choose the optimal ones for your level.

The first thing you need to do is learn the alphabet. Having gained confidence in the fingerprint alphabet, you can move on to non-verbal sign language. Plan activities based on specific difficulty levels. Gradually you will improve your own skills in sign language.

The most effective option for learning a language is to communicate with a native speaker. Even self-study involves finding someone to talk to. Thanks to this, you will be able to correctly express your thoughts and begin to understand a person’s thoughts.

Gestuno is by no means the easiest language to learn. In addition, it is easily confused with the dactyl alphabet. But after a certain time you will be able to achieve significant success. The main thing is not to forget about learning and supplement practice with theoretical knowledge. Sign language is no more difficult than a foreign language. We wish you to gain strength and patience, because after this you will be able to get the desired result!

Video

You will find the first sign language lesson in this video.

It’s a paradox, but often posture and facial expressions say more about a person than words, and gestures make speech bright and expressive. According to psychologists, the ability to read and use the interlocutor’s gestures will not hurt for successful communication. Therefore, mastering sign language will help anyone both at home and at work.

What is sign language

In psychology, sign language (sign language) is a system of movements of the body and hands, which helps to better transmit information, understand others; for people with hearing loss, it is the main way of communication. Sign language is now popular among psychologists as an effective means of reading nonverbal signals.

For your information. Sign language (SSL), a naturally occurring and independently functioning sign language, is a combination of gestures, facial expressions, and postures.

The history of the appearance of deaf-mute language

Although sign language has existed for many centuries, it began to be systematized in the 18th century, during the period of industrialization of European cities. Groups of deaf people were concentrated there and needed to be trained. The first person to come up with the idea of ​​teaching deaf and mute children using gestures was the Italian doctor J. Cardano. The basis of education was the languages ​​of the deaf and mute, which have national characteristics. They were the basis for creating a gestural interpretation.

Today, sign language is rapidly developing and transforming into a full-fledged communication system. It is used to teach people with hearing loss in schools and universities. An artificial international sign has been created - a sign, which is used at international events.

For your information. Unlike Europe, where the language developed in a civilized manner, in the countries of Africa and North America it was actively used by the entire population, for example, during hunting or war.

Difference between sign language and auditory language

Experts clearly distinguish between sign and sound languages. It is believed that the sound one is too cumbersome: each letter is indicated by its own sound, that is, a phoneme, only then a word is formed. Unlike auditory language, gestures represent both letters and whole words, which is more convenient for presenting information. Therefore, sign language is considered more effective.

In real life, every person uses a non-verbal method of communication every day, and he, as a person, is characterized by his gaze, manner of speaking, and gesturing. It turns out that the deaf do not have access to the speech method of communication, but ordinary people easily use the language of the deaf and dumb.

For your information. A FL is actually a foreign language, which, if necessary, must be studied in accordance with all the requirements of a foreign language.

Where is sign language used?

It is a mistake to think that only deaf and dumb people use nonverbal language. Any person intuitively uses gestures to expressively color their speech. Sign language is necessary in many areas of activity: on television, a sign language interpreter conveys information for the hearing impaired; divers and astronauts, due to the inability to speak in water or air, use special signs. In the theater field, politics, medicine, the army - professional gestures are needed everywhere.

Differences in deaf language

Sign languages ​​may vary geographically and nationally. Research has shown that countries with a common sound language have different sign languages, and, conversely, in places with a large number of dialects, a single sign language is used. A striking example of an American language that has more similarities with French and nothing in common with British, although it is common to the population of these countries is English.

In Europe, the situation is similar: a single German language in Germany and Austria does not affect the Austrian and Germanic languages, which are not even similar.

According to experts, the main difficulty lies in the lack of a unified system in the language of the deaf and mutes, which is why it differs so much in different regions, which makes it difficult to learn.

How to quickly learn sign language in Russian

With Russian Sign Language (RSL), a different problem arises. To study it, you need to know the features of the linguistic system, which differs from other linguistic languages ​​lexically and grammatically. The main thing is that the grammar of Russian spoken language is different from colloquial Russian due to the complex morphological transformation of words.

In addition, most RSL gestures are taken from German, Austrian, and French sign languages, so its vocabulary is close to international.

Despite such subtleties, there are many Russian words in RSL. The initial letters of these words are shown using the finger alphabet (fingerprinting), for example, days of the week.

For your information. It is important for students of RSL to know that there are 33 letters in the Russian dactylic alphabet. They correspond to the letters of the Russian alphabet and are reproduced using fingers and hand movements.

Structure of teaching the language of the deaf and mute

Now you can learn any foreign language, including the language of the deaf and dumb. The main thing is to have the desire and desire to learn. Experts advise starting to learn sign language with a selection of video materials and memorizing signs on specially designed websites.

It is advisable to join groups that are created to learn sign language. They are now easy to find on social networks and practice practical skills there. However, this method is effective when the basics of the language have been studied. To quickly master the language of the deaf and mute, you can use the self-instruction manual.

How to learn sign language yourself from scratch

There is no single theoretical and methodological basis for learning sign language and mastering it on your own. Printed dictionaries and online dictionaries have been developed for those interested: the teacher of the deaf demonstrates a gesture in accordance with the word and gives clear articulation.

Important! When studying gestures, the following feature is taken into account: dactylology is needed for proper names (cities, people) or for words that do not have a gesture.

Where to start self-study

Study plan:

1. The main thing is to study the dactylic alphabet - 33 gestures corresponding to a specific letter of the alphabet. In reality, the alphabet is rarely used, but knowledge of it is useful when learning new words for which there are no special gestures, for proper names when letter gestures are used.
2. Once the theory has been mastered, the alphabet has been learned, and a basic vocabulary has been acquired, it is necessary to communicate with native speakers to practice speaking skills. This can be done on thematic forums, specialized sites where the audience is hard of hearing and deaf people.

Important! It is impossible to master the language of the deaf without practice. Language skills are acquired only through direct communication. Then it is possible to understand sign language and be able to communicate in it.

Introduction to dactylology

When getting acquainted with sign language, you need to understand that it is not universal for different countries. Each region has its own alphabet and vocabulary that do not coincide with others. This is the whole difficulty, since often in non-verbal communication a gesture does not mean a letter, but a word or even a whole phrase. Therefore, knowledge of dactylology is necessary - a unique form of speech that includes the dactyl alphabet. In it, each letter has its own sign (dactylem), made of fingers.

It is difficult for beginners to distinguish between sign language and the dactyl alphabet, while dactylems spell out words, and gestures spell out whole words.

Finger placement technique

Dactylology is a manual alphabet, many gestures in it begin with a letter, for example, a teapot - the letter h. You need to study the dactyl alphabet step by step, slowly, it is important to practice the technique of placing your fingers well. At first your hand will get tired, but with constant training your fingers will become more flexible. For beginners, wooden gestures are observed at first. Flexibility is gained through exercises to stretch the ligaments and develop the hands.

The principle of clarity in SL is the following explanation:

• fingers not involved in the configuration remain straight;
• in the configuration, each finger acts independently;
• There are no intermediate configurations between dactylems;
• fuzzy, blurry configurations are defects.

Sequence of study

Each country has its own dactylology; there is no single deaf-mute language. Therefore, when studying on your own, you should adhere to certain rules:

• When mastering dactyl, you need to remember the basic words, names, titles.
• It is advisable to immediately master counting and simple numbers. This will help consolidate the language.
• Then they study the language itself - about 2000 different symbols.
• Learning gestures begins with simple words: thank you, please, hello.
• You need to learn words gradually, learning several gestures in one lesson.

Language is an informative method of communication that is perceived better than verbal communication. By learning to control nonverbal signals, you can interact more effectively with your interlocutors.

Video

It all started again with the series. Although, to be completely precise, it comes from a beautiful interior. I was looking for series with interiors from Greg Grande, the same one who was the artist on .

This is how I came across the series “They were mixed up in the maternity hospital.”

It's about two girls who were mistakenly confused by doctors in the maternity hospital, and their families only found out about it when their daughters turned 16 years old. This is where the series begins, and then everything seems to be as usual: first love, conflicts with parents, arguments between the parents themselves, rivalry at school, breakups and reconciliations. Oh yes, all this in beautiful interiors.

The tricky part is that one of the main characters is deaf.

She became deaf when she was two years old and now wears hearing aids, goes to a school for the deaf and speaks sign language. And the plot is also strongly twisted around this.

I became seriously interested when I started watching interviews with actors and found out that some of the actors are actually deaf.

Actress Katie LeClair, who plays the main character, has Meniere's disease, the syndromes of which include hearing impairment and dizziness. The disease does not prevent her from working, but it helps to talk about this diagnosis in interviews and more people go to doctors to get checked.

While still at school, Katie learned sign language. Imagine, in the States you can easily choose sign language as a second language to study.

One of the episodes of the series was filmed entirely in sign language, not a single word is used in it. At the very beginning, the two main actresses appear and warn the audience that don’t worry, there’s nothing wrong with your TV, but some scenes will be filmed in complete silence.

It's so cool! Talk about people with special needs not through short commercials or speeches trying to squeeze out a tear.

I watched the series and realized that disabled people are not only the people we imagine in wheelchairs.

Oh, this is a stereotype that has firmly settled in our heads thanks to the sign on car windows and on the asphalt of parking lots.

And so I ran into a deaf company at an intersection. I remembered that at the age of eight I myself suffered a serious otitis media with the risk of losing part of my hearing. The organizers of the event, who invited me as a speaker, asked me to speak louder, since there was a participant with a hearing aid in the hall.

It felt like the Universe was desperately hinting to me: “Would you like to learn sign language?”

I entered “sign language teaching” into the search and very quickly found it in St. Petersburg sign language school "Image". The school is located on the territory of the Herzen Pedagogical University, which means that at least twice a week I find myself in the very center of the city.

The university campus, which I need to completely cross - from the entrance with a strict security guard to building 20, our teacher Denis Aleksandrovich - “So, you’ll already learn these gestures at home yourself, now there’s no time to waste on this” (in fact, he’s very cool!) - all this brings me back to nostalgia for my student past.

Training twice a week for two months. This is an express course, the usual course lasts four months. The lesson lasts one and a half hours. What you need to learn something new and not get tired. And most importantly - no sports uniform in a bag, which I hate, no changing clothes and showering in open stalls. In general, one hundred thousand five hundred times better than sports.

There are many students in the group. One of my classmates born in 2000. Imagine! I thought they were still somewhere in kindergarten, but they are already in higher educational institutions. It's hard for me to believe this. But there are also adult students like me.

Most of my classmates ended up in class for the same reason as me. Interesting.

Only a few classes have passed, and I can already tell about myself, what my name is, what I do, how old I am and what year I was born. I can talk about the family and keep the conversation going: “Do you have a dog?” “No, I don’t have a dog, I have a cat.”

It's funny, but incredibly exciting.

Some interesting things about sign language

• Sign language is different in different countries, in our country it is Russian Sign Language (RSL). For some reason, this is terribly disappointing for everyone, they say, they could agree on one language and they would have super-power.
• Dactylology is a form of speech where each letter is expressed as a sign, but it is not a sign language. For example, you can edit a name or a foreign word for which there is no sign yet.
• Deaf people read lips, so it is important for them to see not only the hands that show gestures, but also the lips that pronounce words.
• Sign language has a different grammar and therefore uses a different word order. For example, a question word is always placed at the end of a sentence.
• Sign language is not a copy of a real language, but a full-fledged language with its own linguistic features, structure, and grammar. In sign language, the shape of the sign, its localization (the same gesture at the forehead and at the chest means different things), the nature of the movement and the non-manual component (facial expressions, turning the body, head) are important.

What I like most about my studies is that, perhaps for the first time, I am trying not to be an excellent student.

There is no need to write anything down in class - I took the notebook out of my bag after the first meeting. Yes, there is homework, but I don’t always do it. No grades or tests. I remember well what is taught in class and that’s enough for me.