The origin of Nicaraguan Sign Language tells us a lot about language creation

When linguists discovered deaf children in Nicaragua using a sign language they created on their own, researchers had a unique way to study the development of language. Public Radio International takes a look at how this happened here.

Starbucks to open 1st signing store in Japan

image from Starbucks.com

Starbucks Coffee is opening its first store in Japan with baristas who know sign language. The store will open on Saturday in Kunitachi, a city in the western part of Tokyo. Nearly the entire staff of 25 is deaf. This will be the fifth "signing store" for the company Others are located in Malaysia, the US and China. Read more here.

Children invented a new sign language

In the 1980s deaf children in Nicaragua invented a completely new sign language of their own. Here's a BBC video about it.

Maritime Sign Language

The deaf community in Nova Scotia is rallying to preserve a sign language that's unique to the region, according to the CBC. It's called "Maritime Sign Language" and it is still used by older people in Atlantic Canada. Since it isn't being handed down to the next generation, "There's a push to document MSL before it's lost."  Read more about the effort here.

The connection between Monks & Sign Language

National Geographic Australia explores the connection between the vow of silence taken by monks some 500 years ago helped in the development of sign language. National Geographic Australia has more here.

A new social network for signers

AN Israeli-based company is launching a new social network for signers. Joseph Geliebter, founder of SignTalk Foundation, says:

SignTalkers gives members of the signing community – both hearing and deaf – a space for thoughtful, thriving, and engaging conversation. Unlike other social media platforms, this exclusive space will serve to provide a home away from home to meet, share and interact with members of the signing community around the world.

Using the site requires registration. You'll find the SignTalkers website here and more information in a article published by an Israeli newssite here.

Starbucks opens Signing Store in China

image from Starbucks.com

Starbuck's third signing store is open—in China. in Guangzhou's Yuexiu district. Besides using sign language to communicate with customers, the store will offer sign language classes and coffee workshops in sign language. Starbucks has opened signing stores in Kuala Lumpur and Washington, DC (near Gallaudet University). At those stores, and the new one, baristas wear aprons with sign language that spells the word Starbucks. Belinda Wong, chief executive officer of Starbucks China, said:

The new Signing Store is an example of how we are building inclusive environments and careers for our partners. This store truly creates a sense of belonging for everyone and is a strong testament to our continued commitment to building a more diverse and inclusive working environment.

Read more in the company's press release here.

$450K Donated to the Deaf Bible Society

A Christian youth gathering has raised nearly $450,000 to create translations of New Testament Bible Stories into 16 sign languages. Donations from the 40,000 students at Passion 2019, which took place in Washington, DC, Dallas and Atlanta, will go to the Deaf Bible Society. Read more here.

Terp in China Becomes Social Media Star

A CODA from southwest China has become a "social media star" after posting a video on WeChat. The sign language lawyer who became wanted to tell people about the danger of Ponzi schemes. The BBC reports: "Despite a significant expansion in access to education, some deaf Chinese are still targeted by financial scam organisers. Stories of deaf people who lost fortunes in scams prompted Mr Tang to launch the video series that shot him to social media fame." Read the full story here.

New Zealanders''sign name' for Trump

Deaf people around the world have given Donald Trump his own sign name. In New Zealand it's made by "placing a hand over the head and letting the fingers wave in the breeze, mimicking his at times erratic haircut." See a video here.

The decades-long battle over deaf communication in Nicaragua

The world’s only living natural experiment in the creation of language has happened among the deaf in Nicaragua when oralism was replaced by what is now known as Nicaraguan Sign Language—and at the same time ASL was rejected. As Dan Rosenheck discovered, it has fundamentally changed how linguists think about one of civilisation’s greatest mysteries. Read more in an in-depth article from 1843 magazine here.

Standardizing Astronomy Signs

The International Astronomical Union has just released a list of 47 common astronomy terms, according to Science.com. The signs are offered in a number of different languages. The team of scientists and educators says it's the "first international comparative compilation of its kind for this particular subject matter." Read more about it here.

Want to learn something about Chinese Sign?

Chinese Sign Language is "slowly gaining ground in the online community, with social networking sites and blogging platforms being used to share materials and spread awareness of basic sign language. Online media is also acting as a space for deaf people to interact with CSL and use CSL in new ways, such as in online videos and music," according to an article on What's on Weibo written by Cat Hanson. Read the full story here. Below is a sample of Chinese Sign Language in action.

No Terps at Aussie Disney On Ice

The Disney On Ice Facebook page "has been besieged by upset comments from deaf families" for a decision by Disney Australia not to providing sign language interpreters at its shows. One mother is quoted as saying, "We have to fight for everything. We have to fight for equal access and equal opportunities for our children, from education to after-school care." Read more in The Sydney Morning Herald here.

Murder Plot Caught on Video say prosecutors

Three deaf people are facing murder charges in Australia. Prosecutors say the trio was caught on CCTV trying to decide whether to strangle another deaf man or push him off a balcony. Robert Wright fell from his apartment balcony in Melbourne and died in January. 9News has a video report. No captions but you can read the story in the Independent here.

NYT reviews The Tribe

The new film The Tribe takes place in a Ukrainian boarding school for the deaf--and it's disturbing. That's reflected in today's review of it in the New York Times that reads in part, "Having provoked the audience’s curiosity, the film punishes us, using the bodies of its young performers.. as tokens in a prurient, punitive spectacle." Read the full review here.

Fierce Sign Language

The New York Times says the new Ukraine film called The Tribe "tells its story of violence and love through visuals alone" through "fierce sign language" and "despite the absence of subtitles, the characters’ actions and emotions are vividly clear. The physicality of the sign language gives the drama a bracing directness as tensions rise or moods fade." Read the full review here. Here is the trailer.

Sign added to Song Contest

The Eurovision Song Contest is adding sign language interpreters to its broadcasts. Producers plan to employ six interpreters for the show and they will use International Sign. Eurovision released a statement that says in part, "We always say that music is a language which is understood by everyone. And we felt that we should make this word come reality, and to offer music to everyone, including deaf people." The contest draws some 180 million viewers. Read more about sign at the contest here. Below is a sample of what it will look like.

A new language for Pakistan's deaf

A sign language is being developed for Pakistan's deaf population, lead by a small group of educators. "There are an estimated 1.25 million deaf children in Pakistan," according to the New York Times. Read more about the effort to bring them Pakistan Sign Language here.

Deaf Teen Who Never Learned To Communicate Transformed by Sign Language

A deaf teen born in remote area of Uganda has his first conversation after learning sign at the age of 15. Journalist Kiki King shows what happened in a documentary airing on the UK's Channel 4. Watch Patrick's amazing transformation begin during his first sign language lesson in the video below. The entire documentary will be available Nov 22.