Deaf easily skirt language hurdle

“Anyone who is fluent in sign language will find it much easier to pick up another sign language than communicate with a non-signing hearing countryman,” a member of the organising committee, Ms Karen Coutts said.

Ms Coutts is acting as an interpreter at the games. Born in Christchurch, she works in London as a social worker for the deaf.

Sign language has a different grammatical structure from spoken language.

Deaf people from different countries communicate using simple signs, some internationally recognised signs and classifiers.

Classifiers are signs were the position of the hand or the shape of the fingers is readily identifiable as an object.

Deaf also use a sophisticated level of mime, gesture, facial expression and body language.

“The deaf who are here can communicate more easily than they can in their own countries with hearing people,” Ms Coutts said.

The interpreters at the games act as a go-between for the deaf and the hearing involved.

Deaf New Zealand adults provide a back-up system. In a difficult situation the deaf person will sign to a deaf New Zealander, they in turn will sign to the interpreter who will translate to the hearing person.

One interpreter at the games had to have a deaf person interpret for her when she tried to talk to another hearing person.

Linda Prouse had to meet some Italians at Auckland airport. She could not communicate with the hearing Italian woman with the group so a deaf Italian interpreted for her in sign language.

“We couldn’t communicate orally but could through sign language,” she said.