How Long Does It Take To Learn Sign Language?

How Long Does It Take To Learn Sign Language?

Learning sign language takes time. You cannot learn it in five minutes or overnight. To pick up enough signs for basic communication and to sign them comfortably, without excessive stiffness, can take one or two years. Some people pick up signs slower than others, and if that is the case, don’t let it discourage you. Everyone learns sign language at their own speed. Be patient and you will succeed in learning the language. The rewards will be well worth the effort!

You can learn American Sign Language (ASL) by attending a sign language class. Usually they can be found at community colleges, universities, libraries, churches, organizations/clubs of the deaf, and so on. You can also expand your knowledge of ASL by practicing your signs with deaf people, be they friends or coworkers. Generally, they are patient about showing new signers the correct way to sign something, and usually, they will slow down their signing so that you can understand them. They are also willing to repeat words or statements if you do not understand them the first (or even the second) time. Keep in mind, however, that deaf people are human: they do lose patience from time to time. If that happens, do not take it personally. Put yourself in their shoes: if you had to slow down your normal speaking speed to the point where you say one word at a time and repeat yourself more than once, you might lose patience yourself.

You need to remember that sign language is a visual language. This means that the brain processes linguistic information through the eyes instead of ears. It also means that facial expressions and body movements play an important part in conveying information. It is possible to sign without using facial or body expressions, but doing so may give a mixed message and may confuse your deaf listeners. It will also look odd or unnatural.

Sign language by itself is not an universal language — each country has their own sign language, much like the thousands of languages spoken by hearing people all over the world. Like any spoken language, American Sign Language (ASL) is a living language with its own rules of grammar. Like all verbal languages, ASL grows and changes over time to accommodate the needs of its native users. If you were to travel to another state and had an opportunity to speak with a deaf person of that state, you may even notice that s/he will do some signs differently from you. These signs are known as “regional” signs, and you can think of them as the equivalent of “accent”. It does not mean that deaf people in your state are signing their signs incorrectly, as opposed to those used by deaf people in another state. It is just a normal variation in ASL, and such regional signs add flavor to your understanding of ASL. It is important to remember that when you discover there is no sign for a word, it does not mean you can invent or make up a new sign. To do so may violate the grammatical rules of ASL, and may offend many deaf people. Fingerspell unknown terms.

Most importantly, speed is not crucial in sign language, although it can appear that way. It is more important to sign clearly, even if you have to do it at a slower pace. When deaf people often ask you to repeat yourself, it is a sign that you should slow down and try to sign as clearly as possible. Do not feel embarrassed if you sign slowly. To get your message across, to connect with another person, and to be understood is important. There are no shortcuts to effective communication. Good luck!