Page 14 - The Language Magazine (Cindy)

Sign language is just like spoken language in
many ways, but it's also different. Sign can be
SIGN LANGUAGES
very straightforward and formal, but it can also
take full advantage of its visual nature for
expressive or artistic effect, as shown in the
story in this video. Which, when you think about
it, doesn't make sign language all that different
after all.

For expressive purposes, we can take full
advantage of spoken language's auditory
nature. We can also take advantage of facial
expressions and gestures when we speak.
Everything that would be in an artistic spoken
performance the words, the ordering of clauses,
the pauses, the breath intake, the intonation
and melody, the stressing or deemphasizing of
sounds, the facial and vocal emotion, the body
posture and head and hand gestures come
through. It looks amazing not because it shows
us what sign language can do, but because it
shows us what language does

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