MANY people think sign language is a universal language used by Deaf people worldwide, but it is not.

Sign language evolves wherever there are Deaf people, explains Kerry Cole, head of marketing and PR at the Royal Association of Deaf people.

Gazette:

Kerry Cole, head of marketing and PR

Not only are there international variations but there are regional variations too, much like the regional accents and colloquialisms found in spoken languages.

British Sign Language is the signed language of the Deaf community in the UK.

A rich and complex visual spatial language, it involves a combination of hand shapes, facial expressions, lip patterns and body language.

It also has its own grammar and sentence structure and is not a signed equivalent of English.

The first description of a Deaf person using sign language in England appears in the Marriage Register of St Martin’s, Leicester in 1576.

But in spite of being the first or preferred language of approximately 87,000 Deaf people in the UK, BSL is yet to receive the legal recognition in England and Wales that other minority languages such as Welsh and Gaelic have.

Scotland, however, passed the British Sign Language (Scotland) Act in 2015.

Can you imagine how it feels when you communicate in your first language and most people don’t understand you?

Gazette:

Susan Marsh, advocacy services manager, with a client

The lack of legal recognition means that Deaf people continue to face communication barriers in their daily lives.

Everyday tasks like making a medical appointment or dealing with a delay on public transport can be a real challenge.

At the Royal Association of Deaf people, we are proud to be part of the Deaf community, particularly here in Colchester.

A total of 40 per cent of the staff at Royal Association of Deaf people are Deaf and all hearing staff must be willing to achieve a BSL Level 2 qualification in order to communicate with their colleagues in their preferred language.

For 176 years, we have worked to ensure that Deaf people have access to services in British Sign Language.

From supporting children and families, to helping Deaf people find work, to befriending older people; we are here to make sure the people who use our services get the support they want, when they need it and that it is accessible to them.

Our 'Silent night – make a Deaf Christmas bright appeal'  aims to increase Deaf Awareness and encourage people to host a "silent" event in aid of Royal Association of Deaf people.

You can sign up to our appeal online at royaldeaf.org.uk/silentnight or text YULE25 £5 to 70070 to donate £5.

  • In next week’s Gazette, Kerry Cole will discuss communication.