Definitions for sign language
sign lan·guage

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. sign language, signingadjective

   language expressed by visible hand gestures

2. gestural, sign(a), signed, sign-language(a)adjective

   used of the language of the deaf

GCIDERate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. sign languagenoun

   A form of language for communicating by use of gestures made by the hands, rather than by speech. It includes alphabets made by hand gestures, as well as proper languages formed from signs. Among the latter is the American Sign Language (ASL), used by the deaf. See also dactylology.

WiktionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. sign languagenoun

   One of several natural languages, typically used by the deaf, where the words and phrases consist of hand shapes, motions, positions, and facial expressions.

2. sign languagenoun

   The sign language (sense 1) that is used locally or that is mistakenly believed to be the only one.

3. sign languagenoun

   Sign languages (sense 1) considered collectively.

4. sign languagenoun

   Communication through gestures used when speech is impossible, for example, between monks under a vow of silence or people speaking different languages.

WikipediaRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Sign language

   Sign languages (also known as signed languages) are languages that use the visual-manual modality to convey meaning, instead of spoken words. Sign languages are expressed through manual articulation in combination with non-manual markers. Sign languages are full-fledged natural languages with their own grammar and lexicon. Sign languages are not universal and are usually not mutually intelligible, although there are also similarities among different sign languages. Sign language usually focuses on the facial expressions especially the questions which come with rising the eyebrows, and the movement of the hands.Linguists consider both spoken and signed communication to be types of natural language, meaning that both emerged through an abstract, protracted aging process and evolved over time without meticulous planning. This is supported by the fact that there is substantial overlap between the neural substrates of sign and spoken language processing, despite the obvious differences in modality. Sign language should not be confused with body language, a type of nonverbal communication. Wherever communities of deaf people exist, sign languages have developed as useful means of communication and form the core of local Deaf cultures. Although signing is used primarily by the deaf and hard of hearing, it is also used by hearing individuals, such as those unable to physically speak, those who have trouble with oral language due to a disability or condition (augmentative and alternative communication), and those with deaf family members including children of deaf adults. The number of sign languages worldwide is not precisely known. Each country generally has its own native sign language; some have more than one. The 2021 edition of Ethnologue lists 150 sign languages, while the SIGN-HUB Atlas of Sign Language Structures lists over 200 and notes that there are more which have not been documented or discovered yet. As of 2021, Indo Sign Language is the most used sign language in the world, and Ethnologue ranks it as the 151st most "spoken" language in the world.Some sign languages have obtained some form of legal recognition.Linguists distinguish natural sign languages from other systems that are precursors to them or obtained from them, such as constructed manual codes for spoken languages, home sign, "baby sign", and signs learned by non-human primates.

WikidataRate this definition:5.0 / 1 vote

1. Sign language

   A sign language is a language which, instead of acoustically conveyed sound patterns, uses manual communication and body language to convey meaning. This can involve simultaneously combining hand shapes, orientation and movement of the hands, arms or body, and facial expressions to fluidly express a speaker's thoughts. They share many similarities with spoken languages, which is why linguists consider both to be natural languages, but there are also some significant differences between signed and spoken languages. Wherever communities of deaf people exist, sign languages develop. Signing is also done by persons who can hear, but cannot physically speak. While they utilize space for grammar in a way that spoken languages do not, sign languages exhibit the same linguistic properties and use the same language faculty as do spoken languages. Hundreds of sign languages are in use around the world and are at the cores of local deaf cultures. Some sign languages have obtained some form of legal recognition, while others have no status at all.

U.S. National Library of MedicineRate this definition:5.0 / 1 vote

1. Sign Language

   A system of hand gestures used for communication by the deaf or by people speaking different languages.

Military Dictionary and GazetteerRate this definition:5.0 / 1 vote

1. sign language

   A pantomimic system of communicating ideas, extensively used by North American Indians. The range of its use is not exactly known, but it is common among all the tribes of the plains and many of those beyond the Rocky Mountains. It is in one sense the court language of the Indians, being the only means of communication between tribes not speaking a common dialect. According to Gen. Marcy, it is accurately used and perfectly understood by all the Indians from the Gila to the Columbia. The same author tells a remarkable story, which seems to show that the system is very nearly, if not exactly, the same as that used in teaching mutes in deaf and dumb asylums.

Editors ContributionRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. sign languageverb

   Something regarded as an indication or evidence of what is happening or going to happen in the system of communication used by a particular community or country. [Catalyst]

   Elyon created sign language, Shaddai created Hebrew language, and Christ created code language.

   Etymology: Communication

   
   

   Submitted by Tehorah_Elyon on March 29, 2024  

How to pronounce sign language?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say sign language in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of sign language in Chaldean Numerology is: 3

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of sign language in Pythagorean Numerology is: 9

Examples of sign language in a Sentence

1. Matt Maxey:

   I can have more of an impact going the unconventional route with someone like Chance and go into the areas nobody deaf has been able to get to before, it all leads to something that improves the community. You see sign language in a lot more places than ever before. People are becoming more curious and at the same time more aware of what is going on with the deaf community.

2. Nikki Kepo'o:

   I would love for Hawaii Sign Language to be the same for my son, he'll know that he is a Hawaiian and a deaf person, and there's nothing wrong with either one.

3. Christina Pacala:

   Riley hearing our voices for the first time was a special moment for us, and it's been fun to share that, and many other special moments, too, like Riley taking her first steps, Riley's first signs and our family learning American Sign Language together.

4. Linguist Donna Jo Napoli:

   Children should be surrounded by sign language as much as possible as soon as the audiological status is determined, if the child gets a cochlear implant and does well with it, fantastic. Then the child is bi-lingual.

5. John McCain:

   Maybe it was through some medium that I'm not familiar with. Maybe bouncing it off the ozone layer, for all I know, there's a lot of holes in the ozone layer, so maybe it wasn't the ozone layer that he bounced it off of. Maybe it was through hand telegraph, maybe sign language, who knows?

References

1. ^ Princeton's WordNet
   http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=sign language
2. ^ GCIDE
   https://gcide.gnu.org.ua/?q=sign language
3. ^ Wiktionary
   https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Sign_Language
4. ^ Wikipedia
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sign_Language
5. ^ Wikidata
   https://www.wikidata.org/w/index.php?search=sign language
6. ^ Military Dictionary and Gazetteer
   https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/59563/pg59563-images.html