The Covid Zoom Boom Is Reshaping Sign Language

Re:The Covid Zoom Boom Is Reshaping Sign Language by bluGill on Friday February 26, 2021 @09:43AM (#26275230)

Somewhat. Babies do tend to learn a few signs, and it is useful when they can indicate what they need. However as soon as they learn to talk they universally forget everything. I know people fluent in sign (a large part of their job is working with the deaf), and when they sign to babies the babies are like "you idiot: I just heard you talking to someone else so don't insult my intelligence by not talking to me" The babies can't say something so complex, but you can tell from their reaction that is about what they are thinking.

Which is too bad, sign language would be useful in later life. Unless there is a deaf person in the babies life though they will refuse to have anything to do with it once they can speak.

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Re:The Covid Zoom Boom Is Reshaping Sign Language by Jtsummers on Friday February 26, 2021 @01:03PM (#26277752)

> I know people fluent in sign (a large part of their job is working with the deaf), and when they sign to babies the babies are like "you idiot: I just heard you talking to someone else so don't insult my intelligence by not talking to me"

The way my friends have done this is to speak and sign, not just sign. I don't think any of them would've thought it was appropriate to only sign to a hearing child. The purpose was to teach them both the verbal language and a way to communicate back while they were still too young to verbalize (or, in one critical case, unable to speak due to a birth defect but were perfectly capable of hearing).

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Re:The Covid Zoom Boom Is Reshaping Sign Language by smithza on Friday February 26, 2021 @02:04PM (#26278461)

   Babies do tend to learn a few signs...However as soon as they learn to talk they universally forget everything.

This was our experience with our young child. It helped to be able to say "more" and sometimes "please" and eventually "all done" but eventually spoken words replaced this communication form. My wife and I have two semesters worth of education under Deaf teachers but have no plans of pressing further on this as a second language for our son.

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Re:The Covid Zoom Boom Is Reshaping Sign Language by IanCal on Friday February 26, 2021 @04:17PM (#26279943)

> However as soon as they learn to talk they universally forget everything.

A ridiculous assertion.

My son knows quite a few signs and often uses them alongside speaking, which can really help when he's struggling to be as clear (e.g. when he's frustrated).

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