Visual Expressions Used to Represent Sentence Structures in French Sign Language

Abstract

An individual who proficiently uses communication skills does so by referring to either oral, written or bodily language, with the latter allowing information, emotions or thoughts to be conveyed in the most correct and effective way when words are insufficient. In general, individuals throughout history have faced deafness and hearing loss, resulting in the use of sign language to communicate with the outside world. This was apparent in Europe prior to the 18th century, when such individuals were isolated and forced to create their own sign languages. Thus, the purpose of this study is three-fold: 1) to explain French sign language, its historical periods and structure, while theoretically researching and drawing on the latest resources; 2) to explain its syntactical and structural differences from oral French by examining short dialogs and drawn images; and 3) to highlight the differences between sentence structures in French sign language [e.g., free order or object-verb-subject (OVS)) and that of oral French (subject-verb-object (SVO)]. Based on the findings, although French sign language is visio-gestural, it can be effectively used to perform all functions in oral French.