Rebecca A Withey: Using sign language abroad and the power of connection (BSL)

It’s a dull, overcast and gloomy October morning so my thoughts – naturally – are drifting back to my summer holiday in the Menorcan sunshine. If you’ve not been to the island of Menorca in the month of August before, let me tell you firstly that it is HOT. And the mosquito’s will eat you alive if you let them.

But another fact which I was intrigued to discover is that deaf residents here use Catalan sign language – not Espanol Sign Language, which I had previously assumed to be the case.

Anyhow! Like a ‘good Brit’ going abroad, I swotted up on my Spanish before we embarked on our holiday and was determined to use it as much as I could whilst there, deaf accent and all.

Nailing the correct pronunciation of ‘gracias’ was a task in itself and I was super proud of myself for managing to order a ‘fajita, pollo, sin gluten’ in a Menorcan restaurant where I was understood, and the correct dish was served. Winning.

I was fascinated by the languages that are used on the island. While the two main spoken languages are Spanish (Castilian) and Catalan, there is also Menorcan, is a specific dialect of Catalan spoken in Menorca that is culturally significant to the island.

I would try and lipread people everywhere we went, which proved extremely difficult when you’re not exactly sure of the language being used. I got the hang of understanding a friendly ‘Hola!’ but I’m afraid my lipreading skills only took me so far…

That said, one particular highlight took place during a visit to Lloc de Menorca which is the animal park and sanctuary on the island. My children, husband and I were browsing the park’s gift store before leaving and I was debating with myself whether I wanted to purchase a beautiful Menorcan dress. (I bought it, if you’re wondering!)

Anyhow, my husband and I were still there signing when a staff member came up and tapped me on the shoulder. She then began to sign. Woah.

Her lip patterns were completely different and the signs weren’t recognisable as British or International Sign either. Yet the three of us began to converse!

The lady told us she was using Catalan sign language – as did most of the deaf residents on the island – and that she had been deaf since birth. I asked how she managed to work in the store and she explained she got by with just lipreading.

When you haven’t seen anyone else use sign language for ten days (apart from your immediate family) it really is such a joy! It’s funny how we can speak two entirely different languages but instantly have a connection because we sign. Isn’t that marvellous?

I wanted to know the Catalan sign for thank you, yet she couldn’t understand what I was asking. I repeated ‘gracias’ with a clear lip pattern and she showed me – a lovely movement with a flat palm that brushes towards your body as if you’re wafting a wonderful scent towards you.

It was just so lovely to connect.

There was another moment on our holiday where my heart also melted. My family and I had driven across the island to a beautiful beach that the locals recommended. It was called Cala Galdana, and to get to it you had to walk down a long hill after leaving the car park.

Whilst walking down the hill we noticed a small crowd around a little elderly lady who looked panicked and flustered. We approached and the small crowd left, leaving the lady looking even more upset.

She spoke to us in a rapid language. My hearing son tapped me. “Mum. She’s French. That’s why everyone left. They don’t understand her.”

The poor lady stood there with wide eyes. Time to bring out my GCSE French! So I cleared my throat.

‘I am deaf’ – I first of all gestured to the lady. But then I told her in stilted French with a very English accent…  ‘je parle un peu francais. Un peu!’

Her eyes lit up! She told us she was lost (perdu) and I recognised what she was looking for. Cala Galdana! Ah, the same beach! So I repeated ‘Cala Galdana’ and she nodded, a smile beaming.

I pointed in the direction and beckoned her to follow us. She joined us for the long walk down the hill and as we arrived on the sandy beach, she put her palms together in a ‘merci.’

All of this made me realise that having that common language or even just the willingness to communicate, is so important in today’s society. Why would you just walk off if someone doesn’t use the same language as you? Why would you not just try and communicate?

There are so many barriers in todays world but the biggest ones are always those that are invisible. They are the barriers that say ‘you’re different to me, so I’ll stay away.’

It isn’t any wonder that deaf people can therefore feel incredibly isolated because of the lack of people in their lives  that use their language and make an effort to communicate with them.

Even just a ‘good morning’ in BSL is so warmly received, it is the effort that truly counts.

My trip in Menorca showed me that despite any language barrier, connection is always possible and it is imperative for our wellbeing. Even in our holiday resort, we noticed the only staff member that would attempt to sign with us was the Head Chef who already spoke 6 other languages. To him, sign language wasn’t something alien to be afraid of, it was just another language to learn!

Without connection to each other, our mental health and physical health naturally declines. And this is why it’s so important to see deaf sign language users as just fellow humans who have the same thoughts and feelings, that happen to use a different language to communicate.

As a deaf person, I experience the same barriers as the elderly French lady who was ignored by others. And just like the deaf lady who uses Catalan sign language, but lipreads to get by,  I often end up adapting too.

Yet if we all conversed in multiple languages, how wonderful would that be?

When you learn other languages, your whole world gets a bit bigger. And if you learn sign language, you have a whole planet of sign language users to get to know and enjoy life with too.

That’s a pretty good incentive, right?

Do you know any other languages? Are you learning sign language? Let us know in the comments!

By Rebecca A Withey

Rebecca A Withey is the Assistant Editor for The Limping Chicken. She is also a script writer, BSL consultant and creative artist based in the Midlands. Rebecca is a Deaf, bilingual BSL user. Find out more at www.rawithey.com