1. Why Sign Language Was Once Called "Hand Mimicry"
When you watch someone using sign language, notice how their hands, face, and body work together. It might look like they are just stringing together random gestures. In the past, sign language was indeed called "hand mimicry" and considered an inferior way of communicating things by hand. [1]
However, researchers later recognized it as a language with a grammatical system different from spoken Japanese. The All Japan Federation of the Deaf explains that sign language is a visual language based on hand shape, position, and movement, along with facial expressions. It is equal in status to spoken language. [1]
2. How a Sign Is Built From Hand Shape, Position, and Movement
In 1960, American linguist William Stokoe showed that American Sign Language words can be broken down into three elements: hand shape, hand position, and hand movement. [3] He showed examples of words that differ by only one of these elements. This showed that signs can be built from smaller parts, much as spoken words are built from sounds. [3]
Later researchers separated palm orientation as a fourth element. Think of it like the difference between "kaki" (persimmon) and "kagi" (key) in Japanese, where a small change in sound changes the meaning. In sign language, changing only the hand shape or position can create a different word. [3]
Safety Note: Stokoe’s 1960 work identified minimal pairs—words that differ by only one element—to prove this structure exists. [3]
3. How Facial Expressions Change the Meaning of a Sign
In spoken language, we use pitch to tell the difference between a statement like "That child came" and a question like "Did that child come?" In sign language, facial and body movements may take on this role. [2]
Meisei Gakuen, a school that teaches sign language, calls these facial and body movements "NM" (Non-Manual markers). They explain that even if the hand shape is the same, a different NM changes the meaning. Pointing at people or objects is also considered a grammatical part of the language. [2]
If you think of sign language as only hand movements, you miss this crucial role of the face. When watching someone sign, remember to look at their face, not just their hands. [1]
4. How Deaf Children in Nicaragua Came Together Without a Sign Language
Reports say that until the late 1970s, Nicaragua had no deaf community and no sign language. Many deaf people used "home signs," gestures understood only by their own families. [4]
Then, deaf children began gathering at a special school in the capital, Managua. By 1981, about 200 students attended. The teachers did not know sign language, and classes were taught in Spanish. Yet, reports show that as children exchanged gestures on the playground and on buses, they began to form a common system. [4]
This language was not taught to them. It was created by the children themselves, without teachers. Today, it is known as Nicaraguan Sign Language. [4]
5. How Nicaraguan Sign Language Grammar Became More Organized Over Generations
Nicaraguan Sign Language continued to change as new children joined. A 2004 study reported differences in how movements were described. [5]
The first generation of children combined the "manner" (how something moves) and the "path" (where it goes) into a single hand movement. For example, they might sign "rolling down" all at once. The next generation separated these into "manner only" and "path only," arranging them in order. This created a hierarchical structure that could be used within sentences. [5]
The study found that the children who had learned the language most recently used it more fluently. The key point is that the language was not invented by one child, but refined over generations. [5]
6. Why Sign Languages Differ From Community to Community
Nicaraguan Sign Language is one of several hundred unique sign languages in the world. Sign languages differ from community to community; they are not a universal language shared by everyone. [5]
The status of sign language as a language is also confirmed by law. The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, adopted in December 2006, defines "language" to include spoken languages, sign languages, and other non-spoken forms. [6]
In Japan, the revised Basic Act for Persons with Disabilities, enacted in August 2011, includes "language (including sign language)" in its text, according to the All Japan Federation of the Deaf. [1] As we have seen, sign language is a unique language that creates meaning using hand shape, position, movement, and facial expressions. [1]
7. An Activity: Telling About Your Day Using Only Gestures
You can try an activity with family or friends: With family or friends, try sharing "what happened today" using gestures, without speaking. Remember, this is a gesture game, not sign language.. At first, it might not be understood, but as you repeat it, you might create rules just between you. This is a game of communicating with gestures. However, this is not real sign language, which has grammar developed over many generations.
To find places to learn real sign language, look for information from the All Japan Federation of the Deaf or local sign language circles and classes. When meeting people who use sign language, enjoy the conversation by watching both their hands and their faces.