Introduction

Image Source: That Deaf Guy


Is sign language universal?
No, sign language is not universal. In England, for example, BSL (British Sign Language) is used, while in America, ASL (American Sign Language) is used. In Ireland, ISL (Irish Sign Language) is used, while here in Australia, Auslan (Australian Sign Language) is used. Even in Australia, certain dialects of Auslan is present in different states. The sign for "car" in Melbourne, for example, means "coffee" in Adelaide.


What is Auslan?
Auslan is a sign language used only in Australia, although it is similar to BSL and ISL (Johnston & Schembri, 2007). This is because sign language was brought over from England (BSL) and deaf teachers were brought in to teach in Roman Catholic schools from Ireland (ISL).


Is spoken language translated to sign language word for word?
No, one whole phrase in a spoken language, e.g. English, can be translated into just one sign, in sign language. One example could be shown by the phrase, "I'm glad that's over" which can be said in just one sign. Auslan does not follow the English language order.

One English word can also have many different signs for it. The sole word "light" in English could describe the weight of an object, the shade of a certain colour, or the light coming in from the sun. This is why context is key in Auslan. If a word is too vague and has no context or background information to it, then it would be quite difficult to sign it in Auslan.

Image Source: That Deaf Guy

Some cultures also have signs that cannot be translated in English. This explains the important relationship of language and culture.

Auslan is a very visual language, as well as any other sign language. The difference between sign language and spoken language is that, in spoken language, the information is only being told. You cannot see how the word looks like. In this sense, spoken language is very 2 dimensional. While in sign language, the information is being shown and told. In this sense, sign language is very 3 dimensional. Auslan is more involved in providing information, and using space to show the relationship between object, action and people. This goes to show that Auslan relies very heavily on using space.


Is Auslan just about mime and gestures?
Auslan consists of not just mime and gestures, but so much more. You would have to actually learn the language and follow a certain set of rules. The hand shape, orientation of the palm, location and movement (HOLM) is an important part of Auslan. If one is altered, the whole sign will give a different meaning. But not only are the signs important, the non manual features such as facial expression and body movement is also important in conveying a message through sign language. Facial expression does not just show the emotions of a person, but provides different meaning for different words (e.g. "like" and "dislike"). This will be further discussed under the topic "Further studying Auslan".


This video below shows how the boy is signing a song by not only using HOLM but also NMF. His facial expressions and body movement go along with the song and really conveys how the mood of the song is set.

 Video Source: Youtube


References:
- Johnston, T., & Schembri, A. (2007). Australian Sign Language (Auslan) : An Introduction to sign language linguistics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- Malonda, R. (2012). Set Fire to the Rain - AUSLAN Song
Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2H8CMVicRI