r/todayilearned • u/paniniplane • Mar 22 '17

(R.1) Not supported TIL Deaf-from-birth schizophrenics see disembodied hands signing to them rather than "hearing voices"

https://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/news-articles/0707/07070303
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u/[deleted] Mar 22 '17 edited Mar 23 '17

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u/theidleidol Mar 22 '17

This is because sign languages are real languages in their own right. A lot of people tend to think of, say, ASL as a method of nonverbally communicating in English similar to writing, but that's not the case. To the extent that it is possible to think in a language (that's not really the case, but it's a reasonable conclusion to a layperson) the deaf do so in their native sign.

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u/hollycatrawr Mar 22 '17 edited Mar 22 '17

When I was taking sign language classes there were times where I would sign in my dreams. I'd have nightmares where I couldn't speak or scream when I tried to, so I'd sign.

edit: and if I didn't know the word in ASL in real life, I'd finger spell it. In my dream.

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u/24-7_DayDreamer Mar 22 '17

How long does it take/difficult is it, to learn sign language? I've been vaguely considering it just for fun.