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26 Comments

  1. Really well done. 🙂 It was done nice and slowly such that people who don’t understand BSL can still see how the words correspond to the signs.

    It’s always infuriated me how ASL and BSL are different. Why on Earth is sign language not universal? Surely that would be a great way for deaf people to get ahead of the game. I mean it’s a bit of a kick in the teeth if an English person can’t even understand an American! (Maybe the two are very similar, but it’s still a wasted opportunity I think.)

  2. I am an American student stydying ASL, and I find the differences and similarities between ASL and BSL to be very interesting. Some signs are the same (“meet”, and “thank you”), some are similar (“language”), some are very different (two-handed manual alphabet), and still others are like homonyms; they look alike, but have different meanings (BSL “What” = ASL “Where”). BSL also seems to rely more heavily on speech-reading. Again, very interesting. Thank you!

  3. Is it likely that every deaf person in Britain will speak BSL, or do any speak ASL instead/as well? Is ASL the most widely spoken Sign Language?

  4. @nightworker314 I’m not sure if the second part of my comment was clear or not. SO, in ASL ‘thank you’ is the same as in BSL. but also in ASL the same sign (‘thank you’) can be used for ‘good.’ (I don’t know what good in BSL is)

  5. ‘Please’ in ASL is open “5” palm towards chest in a circle. Just FYI. In ASL “Thank You” is the same in BSL but so is “good.” again Just FYI

  11. this is really great!! ive just thought about learning sign language as my mum teaches the deaf and my sister is also qualified in BSL. so id like to do the same. I find it fascinating and such a usefull language. Just hope with enough practice i can be understandable lol.

  12. if that were possible, then why not just have one spoken language for the world… whilst we’re here in could cuckoo land, why not just one religion and one country too! 😉

  13. I’m learning ASL not BSL but i can still answer your question. In sign language it is correct to put “wh” questions at the end of the the sentence. So its not whats your name? its your name is what? Just like where are you from? is you are from where?

  14. When you say please, your hand goes lower.

    One way to remember is “please to the knees”
    That’s what they teach kids!

  15. ive only just started learning but i think in sign language you say the subject first. so name is first so they know what you’re on about

  16. @ilyuafvr there should be just one variation of signs for the world … i guess.

  17. I’ve just been told that I’m going deaf. My life long dream is to become a composer, I’m mortified. Can someone explain why she said what’s your name and then said it backwards? That just confused the hell out of me.

  19. Thanks for this, really clear and easy to understand. I’m thinking about doing a BSL course in my gap year and I’m hoping to get a head start! 🙂

  23. Actually, ASL is not standardized at all. Some words have various signs plus regional differences including those in Canada where it is also used. Birthday has God knows how many different variations, I have seen at least four for rabbit, a couple of ways to express mad/angry (could be seen as different expressions) plus idioms relating the feeling of. Also, ask someone to give you the sign for pizza in ASL and you can spark a discussion on what its sign should be.

  24. Thanks for this. I’m 16, and deaf in my right ear, with my hearing still gradually getting worse. This is extremely helpful. Thank you. 😀

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