Does a deaf person have enough signs in their language vocabulary to engage in conversations about climate change? Thanks to new official signs in British Sign Language (BSL), this is the case in Great Britain. Whether in class or during a scientific debate, here deaf people can now also give their perspectives on this current topic.

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“I was involved in research for 11 years, and went to numerous meetings. But, I was never truly involved, because I couldn’t understand what people were saying.” These were the words of Dr. Audrey Cameron talking to British media about how British Sign Language (BSL) has been adapted to include the topic of climate change.

It’s not something that many non-deaf people realise. But only after the Scottish Sensory Centre (SSC) added climate change to its comprehensive glossary, deaf people such as Dr. Audrey Cameron can take part in discussions about the topic.

Dr. Cameron, who had led the special Scottish Sensory Centre’s BSL Glossary project, explained she had often experienced a lack of vocabulary in her own scientific career. How this had led to her feeling excluded from important meetings and conversations. “I wanted to talk with people about chemistry, and I just wasn’t able to,” she said.

A biology and science teacher Liam McMulkin from Glasgow, who took part in the project’s sign-creation workshops, revealed a similar picture. He told British media how, whilst hearing people were “constantly learning and acquiring knowledge” wherever they go, that “deaf people miss out on so much information.”

“Whilst hearing are constantly learning and acquiring knowledge wherever they go, deaf people miss out on so much information.”

The new visual language of climate change

So now deaf people can, instead of spelling words letter by letter, make use of the new signs to help visualise them. For instance, they can now express the concept of greenhouse gases by moving closed fists around, like gas molecules in the air, as the BBC described.

“We’re trying to create the perfect signs that visualise scientific concepts,” Dr Audrey Cameron said. Mr McMulkin said similarly: “The beauty of sign language – particularly for science – is that it’s a visual language.”

Considering the skill to visualise concepts is good for all children, and adults, we can also wonder; why not include everyone in this form of speech? There is an online video video glossary demonstrating the terms.

Sharing perspectives with the world

The Institute of Sustainable Studies explained that the creators of the climate change signs were a mix of sign language experts and deaf scientists. They intend for the new vocabulary to simplify the learning process for deaf individuals. Plus, that it will support deaf children to fully take part in discussions on the topics in schools. Whether in the classroom, the science lab, or at home.

Prof. Jeremy Sanders, the chair of the Royal Society’s diversity and inclusion committee, also spoke to British media such as The Guardian newspaper. He said the signs are there to “inspire and empower the next generation of BSL-using students.” Plus, that they will “allow all practising scientists to share their vital work with the world.”

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Since the Scottish Sensory Centre (SSC) started in 2005 adding specific terms to British Sign Language, a lot as happened. The glossary has developed into nearly 2000 signs and almost as many definitions in mathematics, science, technology and engineering.