Have you ever wondered about sign language? Many of us don’t encounter sign language much in our everyday lives, and so don’t know much about it. Even when we do know somebody who signs, many of us don’t learn more than the basics of signing. Having grown up with deaf grandparents, I have been exposed to BSL (British Sign Language) from an early age, but know only very simple signs. My family tends to rely more on lip-reading and gesturing, rather than sign language proper. Recently, I came across something which I thought would bridge the gap between spoken English and BSL: Sign Supported English (SSE).

SSE is where BSL signs are used according to English grammar. This means that all you need to learn is a good vocabulary of signs, rather than learning the more complicated grammar of sign language. The benefits of a language like this (if it can indeed be classed as a language) are clear for those who find language learning difficult, as they would be able to communicate with their deaf friends or relatives more easily. The use of Sign Supported English would also reduce the burden of lip-reading for the deaf person too, although its use does rely on the deaf person having knowledge of English.

I think SSE is something which is not promoted enough, and I came across it only by chance. Many families and even workplaces could benefit from knowledge of SSE, and it has a wide range of applications for the disabled, as well as the deaf. I think that although using SSE is not as good as learning BSL, it is definitely a step in the right direction, and shows that you have made an effort, which is something I’m sure most deaf people will appreciate. I know that I am going to start expanding my sign vocabulary, and frankly isn’t it about time we all started to make more of an effort to communicate with one another?

If you require more information about BSL, take a look at the British Deaf Association’s website.