Rebecca-Anne Withey: How I learnt the linguistics of BSL

I was recently asked how I learnt the linguistics of BSL. Interesting question!

Linguistics in relation to BSL does not refer to just the learning of signs word for word but understanding the usage, relevance and how to apply the signs fluently and appropriately.

So how do you learn the linguistics for a language you were not raised with? 

I say that because even though I’m deaf, I was raised in a household where English was our mother language. Therefore my acquisition of BSL and it’s linguistics didn’t develop until I was exposed to the language on a regular basis, outside of home. 

It led me to thinking how important it was for me to have that exposure to BSL at a young age so that I could eventually communicate with deaf peers of all backgrounds. 

Growing up, I was a member of Walsall Deaf Children’s Association and so I enjoyed leisure trips, theatre visits and general social activities with a large group of deaf children who used various communication methods.

Later on, I attended a secondary school with a unit for deaf children. From there my understanding and use of BSL grew even more – even though I was still using English in lessons and at home. 

Outside of school I used to love going to Walsall Deaf Club on a youth club night. The humour and storytelling nature of BSL came to life at the deaf club and I revelled in the visual tales from BSL users there. 

At school we often visited peers at another deaf unit nearby. I remember noticing the variations used for the sign “birthday” and chatting about which sign for it most of us used.

And then I went to a deaf school for sixth form where one of the first questions I was asked by the students was “can you sign?!” I was so glad I could as it meant I could chat to absolutely everyone and enjoy all the school in-jokes and exclusive signs. 

My personal understanding of BSL’s linguistics has continued to develop as I’ve made more deaf friends and, of course, married a deaf man with a – shall we say – very strong deaf identity. He still jokes that my signing has improved to “native level” because of him… and he’s probably right. 

It’s not about what I’m literally signing but rather by how I apply the language and the ease with which I use it. It’s the use of regional signs, BSL slang and ‘deaf’ phrases too. 

This is why at home I often interchange between BSL and English. Many BSL expressions have no English equivalent and yet they do the job of expression perfectly 😉 

So it seems that even if a language isn’t native to you, by being immersed in it from a young age or on a regular basis, it most definitely becomes part of you. 

But this leads me to ask the following… What happens if there’s little or no exposure to everyday BSL? What would happen if all the deaf units in schools closed, if the deaf centres and all the youth clubs shut?

How could deaf children who live in a non-signing environment become proficient BSL users, with all the nuances and grammatical uniqueness the language has? 

And – more importantly – how can a language expect to survive and grow if it’s not being used on an everyday basis?

I know that if it wasn’t for the deaf children’s society, the deaf unit, the youth club at the deaf centre – I most probably wouldn’t be the signer I am today. I also would not have so many friends and enjoyed so many opportunities. 

Maybe we all have some responsibility in ensuring the linguistics of BSL continues to thrive. I agree that BSL classes and online resources are extremely valuable for the budding BSL user, but nothing can replace the value of meeting up and keeping the language alive. 

It was this real-life immersion of BSL that enabled me to understand and use it and I believe this is the only way we can expect to fully adopt a language as one of our own; not by merely learning about or watching videos of it but by truly living it. 

What do you think?