April 4, 2024

How many ‘words’ are there in BSL?

British Sign Language (BSL) is a vibrant and expressive language used by the Deaf community in the UK. Just like spoken languages, BSL has evolved naturally over time within the Deaf community, adapting to the needs of its users. However, there are many misconceptions surrounding BSL, including the belief that it consists of individual ‘words’ like spoken languages.

This isn’t strictly true. BSL isn’t a manual form of English but a distinct language in its own right. It operates on a different linguistic framework, using signs to convey concepts and meaning in a visual-gestural manner.

BSL doesn’t contain ‘words’ in the traditional sense. The BSL vocabulary is made up of ‘key signs’ that provide the foundation for creating a vast array of different signs to convey complex meanings through movement, speed and directionality. Here, we take a closer look at this misconception to give you a better understanding of the nuances that make BSL such a rich, diverse and exciting language to learn.

What is BSL?

BSL is the primary visual language used by Deaf people in the UK. It’s a complete language with its own grammar and syntax. It isn’t simply a visual representation of spoken English. BSL uses a combination of hand gestures, facial expressions and body language to convey meaning.

It’s recognised as an official language in the UK, alongside English and Welsh, and is protected under the Equality Act 2010. It’s used by approximately 151,000 Deaf people in the UK and a large number of hearing people who have learned it to communicate with Deaf friends, family members or colleagues. There are regional variations – or dialects – of BSL used in different parts of the UK. Today, BSL is widely used, and efforts are being made to promote its use and improve access to education and other services for its Deaf users.

Myth: BSL is a language of words

One of the most common myths about BSL is that it comprises individual ‘words’, like in English or other spoken languages. This misconception stems from a misunderstanding of the nature of all sign languages. Unlike spoken languages, which rely on words to convey meaning, BSL operates on a different system altogether.

BSL is a visual-gestural language, which means its structure and grammar are based on visual signs, gestures and facial expressions rather than spoken words. Instead of individual words, BSL uses signs to represent concepts, actions, objects and abstract ideas. These signs are combined and arranged spatially to form sentences and convey context and meaning.

It’s essential to distinguish between signs in BSL and words in spoken languages. While signs may appear similar to words on the surface, they serve a different function within BSL’s linguistic framework. Signs in BSL aren’t equivalent to words. Rather, they’re visual representations of phrases, concepts or ideas. As such, most BSL signs don’t correspond exactly with English words. Instead, they convey meaning in a way that’s unique to the language.

In BSL, hand shapes, movement and facial expression play a crucial role in conveying meaning and grammatical structure. These features add layers of nuance and complexity to BSL communication, allowing for rich expression and interpretation.

So, instead of viewing BSL through the lens of a spoken language, it’s essential to appreciate its unique qualities and structure. BSL isn’t a ‘language of words’ but a dynamic and expressive visual language with its own stylistic and cultural nuances. Understanding and embracing its unique qualities helps foster greater awareness and appreciation of – and respect for – BSL across the UK.

British Sign Language courses

Learning BSL, even if it’s just the basic signs, can significantly improve your communication skills and enable you to communicate with Deaf or hard of hearing people in their own language. It can help your business or organisation break down communication barriers, build relationships and create a more inclusive society.

So, if you’re interested upskilling your team with BSL training, we offer bespoke BSL courses in levels one to three for groups of interested learners. We don’t provide single-person BSL courses. We work hard to tailor all our courses to suit your organisation’s needs, from the content delivered to class size and location.

Our offices in the heart of the Midlands mean we’re ideally located to provide our award-winning training services anywhere in the country. Alternatively, we can offer remote sessions via any video platform of your choice. Our bespoke BSL courses include: