The Man Who Taught a Gorilla to Lie
The story of Koko the gorilla is filled with moments of wonder, but none are as philosophically charged as the time she ripped a steel sink from a wall. When…
Sign Languages
Writing Silence: The Quest for a Sign Language Script
How do you write a language that isn't spoken, but seen? This post explores the fascinating quest to create a script for sign languages, diving into systems like Sutton SignWriting…
How Do New Signs Get Created in ASL?
American Sign Language is a living, evolving system, not a static code. The process of creating new signs for modern concepts like 'selfie' or 'Facebook' is a fascinating blend of…
The Art of Interrupting in Sign Language
In spoken language, interruption means talking over someone. But how do you interrupt in a visual language like ASL? We explore the complex and polite ways signers manage turn-taking, revealing…
Australia’s Sign Language of the Plains
Discover Warlpiri Sign Language, a complete and complex language used not by the Deaf, but by the hearing Warlpiri community of Central Australia. This remarkable "alternate" sign language co-exists with…
When a Community Has No Language
Before established sign languages, how did deaf children in isolation communicate? This post explores "home sign," the remarkable gestural systems they invent from scratch. Discover how these personal languages reveal…
How the Deaf See Music
Music is often considered an auditory experience, but for the Deaf community, it's a world felt through powerful vibrations and seen through the stunning visual poetry of sign language. This…
Speaking with Hands and Mouth
In central Australia, the Arandic peoples use a complex sign language alongside speech, a system developed for times when speech is taboo, like during mourning or hunting. This dual-modal language…
Island Sign: The Spontaneous Birth of a Language in Martha’s Vineyard
Long before Nicaraguan Sign Language became famous, another sign language emerged organically on Martha's Vineyard. Due to a high rate of hereditary deafness, signing became a part of everyday public…
The Grammar of Silence: Why Sign Languages Are as Complex as Spoken Languages
Far from being simple pantomime, sign languages are a testament to the human brain's linguistic ingenuity. These visual-gestural systems possess all the grammatical complexity of spoken languages, from their unique…
The Best Apps for Mastering Sign Language
Language is the soul of human interaction. It’s how we share our thoughts, ideas, feelings, and perspectives with others. But language isn’t limited to the...
Sign Language: Exploring the Language of Silence
Sign language is more than just a collection of gestures; it is a rich, complex, and fully developed linguistic system that serves as the primary...