Two Languages, One Voice
How British Sign Language (BSL) and English Shape the Way I Communicate and Connect
You might wonder why someone who seems to communicate just fine by lip-reading or speaking would ask for a sign language interpreter. I get this question, most often implied, and it reveals something crucial about how I move through the world.
You see, for me, English (which I access through speech and lip-reading) and British Sign Language (BSL) are two completely different ways of communicating. It’s like the difference between speaking French and speaking German, they are distinct languages with their own rules and ways of expressing ideas. Many people do not realise that BSL doesn't have a written form; so, when I read English, it's not a written version of BSL.
When I was growing up, there was a real misunderstanding about BSL. My family was actually told not to learn it with me, with the historic, now dispelled belief that it can impede the learning of English. I can tell you from my own experience of working with children who have been deprived of language in local authority ('foster') care, that they can absolutely catch up and thrive with BSL input. It can truly open up their world and help them learn English just as well as their hearing friends.
I wanted to share why someone like me, who might seem fluent in speech and lip-reading, sometimes requests the change in communication, such as BSL interpreters. This is especially true if you’ve ever felt that providing this support might be a hassle. Ironically, I actually have a higher qualification in BSL (degree equivalent) than I do in English!
"Why Not Always BSL?"
It’s a bit like someone who uses a wheelchair sometimes but doesn't need it all the time. They might worry about being judged if they switch between using it and walking. I have often thought about relying entirely on BSL interpreters, but it presents a few challenges:
- A Filtered Conversation: When an interpreter is involved, their job is to convert what's being said into BSL, and vice versa. Think of it like putting your words through a few different translation apps; you would get slightly different results each time. Interpreters are human, and they interpret the message. This is not to take away from the great work they do: I can be confident that BSL interpreters have a standard, often to degree, or equivalent, to be qualified. Working with any interpreter means my, or your, information is being filtered once already. This article explains some of the processing they may need to do.
- Booking Difficulties: There's a real shortage of BSL interpreters, and they are in high demand. This is partly because BSL was not recognised as a language for a long time, and interpreters often had to pay for their own training. Getting one, especially last minute or for specific topics, can be incredibly tough. Also, there are often budget limits (e.g. Access to Work) on how much support I can get, which affects many Deaf people in their jobs.
- Losing Direct Connection: When a third person is in the conversation, it can sometimes feel less direct. While I might sometimes prefer a lively interpreter over a dull speaker(!), ultimately, I want people to see me as the expert, not the interpreter. I want to be the one people connect with directly.
So, Why DO I Sometimes Use Them?
My need for interpreters increased since the Covid pandemic. For the first time, being Deaf didn’t feel like a ‘superpower’, a term some people use to highlight the strengths that can emerge when Deaf people are empowered and supported. But with everyone’s faces covered, I was suddenly cut off from one of my key strategies: lip-reading. I realised just how little I could actually hear and felt truly vulnerable and isolated when visual cues were cut off.
While I absolutely love the expressiveness and flow of British Sign Language, most of the people I work with do not use it. Coming out of the pandemic, an assessment for a cochlear implant confirmed just how much I was relying on guesswork to fill in the gaps when communicating in English.
I recently sent an email to a manager to try and explain the shift:
"To clarify, I am profoundly deaf and I lip-read well. However, this allows me to access only about 20 to 30 percent of speech audibly and around 30 to 40 percent visually (which is the most an expert lip-reader can get from a face). The rest relies on educated guesswork, built up over years of experience. When I have used online meetings with captions and lip-reading, the communication was direct. But I was the one doing all the hard work to understand, which left me completely exhausted over time."
This was true even in one-on-one or small group conversations with people who were aware of my deafness. Eventually, I realised it was no longer reasonable for me to keep bridging the gap. So, I started asking for BSL interpreters in meetings. The difference after just one meeting was incredible, I was not tired at the end! Concentration fatigue is real. Still, it meant giving up that direct, face-to-face connection.
Imagine bigger gatherings, like conferences or large events. I would have very little hope of catching much, if anything at all, and remembering what was said by the end would be almost impossible because of the sheer concentration and effort required.
My Communication, My Choice
So, that's why I sometimes switch between using English and BSL. I will never have full access to spoken English, and I'm incredibly lucky to have BSL as a strategy too. It helps me avoid the mental exhaustion and memory blanks that come from constantly trying to piece together conversations.
Ultimately, understanding my communication needs is not about me being difficult; it's about making sure I can bring my best self to every interaction. When we all make an effort to understand different communication styles, we create a more inclusive world where everyone can thrive.
Feeling understood, and being included, makes all the difference.
Feeling understood, and being included, makes all the difference.
#deaf #disability #engagement