Sign languages

8 cards. Each one is a 40-second story with a five-minute read behind it.

1. Sign languages are not universal codes but diverse natural languagesMany assume sign language is a global system of gestures, but it functions as a complex natural language with its own unique grammar. From the 5th century BC to modern-day communi…
2. Breaking the silence: how cinema is finally capturing the complexity of signFor decades, film often reduced deafness to a tragedy of silence. This video explores how contemporary media is shifting toward authentic Deaf perspectives, moving away from trope…
3. The 80-year-old language born from a unique genetic legacyIn the southern Israeli village of Al-Sayyid, signing is not a choice but a necessity. Because of an unprecedented concentration of hereditary deafness, the community has develope…
4. The invisible walls separating the hearing and the deaf in the UKThis documentary explores the systemic and social hurdles that prevent seamless communication between the deaf and hearing communities. It features direct insights from those on t…
5. How a digital dictionary transformed the narrative of sign languagesDiscover the evolution of the Words, Signs & VV Photo Dictionary, a collaborative digital project that reimagines how we document and interact with sign language.
6. How a new language emerged and changed across generationsIn this lecture, linguist Ann Senghas examines the birth of Nicaraguan Sign Language. Discover how language acquisition processes drive the emergence and structural evolution of a…
7. How one family uses sign language to bridge the gap between hearing and deaf membersIn this episode of My Perfect Family, witness the daily realities of a household that has adopted sign language as its primary way to communicate, regardless of whether family mem…
8. The hidden role of language brokers in Deaf-hearing familiesExplore the complex dynamics of sign language brokering through a summary of Professor Jemina Napier's research. This video presents key themes from her monograph on how communica…

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