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7 unusual facts about British Sign Language


British Sign Language

In 1815, an American Protestant minister, Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet, travelled to Europe to research teaching of the deaf.

BBC One also broadcasts in-vision signed repeats of the channel's primetime programmes between 00:30 and 04:00 each weekday.

Facial expression

For example, the expression used for 'carelessly' in ASL means 'boring or unpleasant' in British Sign Language.

Kaos Signing Choir for Deaf and Hearing Children

The choir regularly performs original Songs Of Kaos, all written by or especially for the group, and the children all sing and sign in British Sign Language.

Leeds Society for Deaf and Blind People

These include a Sign Language Interpreting Service, equipment provision, social workers for profoundly deaf people, services for deafblind people, training courses and qualifications including a Taster Course, Levels 1–3 in British Sign Language, and Sensory Awareness.

National Waterfront Museum

Much effort has been put into accessibility for the new museum, and is one of the first museums in the United Kingdom to feature multilingual voiceovers, as well as British Sign Language captioning on all interactive content.

Tom Levitt

As one of the few MPs with a qualification in British Sign Language, Levitt was an elected Trustee of the Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID) from 1998 to 2003.


Clive Mason

Before starting his career in television, Mason had worked closely with Paddy Ladd, a deaf academic, who was researching and filming BSL in which Mason appeared as a BSL actor.

Sign singing

The National Anthem was sung and signed in British Sign Language at the Opening Ceremony of the 2012 Olympics

St John's Catholic School for the Deaf

Boston Spa was the only school in England that used a signed language other than British Sign Language which is Belgian Sign Language introduced from Brussels by the two Daughters of Charity.


see also