A Study on the Difficulty of Communication through Sign Language in Non-English Speaking Countries

Abstract

Sign language is a visual language that conveys intentions through physical signals, including movements as like hands and eyes, based on existing spoken languages. Communication in sign language generally involves combinations of shapes drawn with fingers or arms, their position and movement, and facial expressions (Padden, 1990). As hearing-impaired people grow and with increased availability of receiving education, many also learn sign languages in addition to spoken languages (Lucas, & Valli 1992). In these cases, lip shapes or sounds can be used to supplement communication, but sign language remains the primary language for most hearing-impaired people, with spoken languages playing a secondary role. Sign language is a distinct language and should not be confused with non-verbal communication systems such as body language. A common misconception is that sign language is a universal language (Lillo, 2010). For example, signals used in sports games or specific organizations are not considered sign language. To clarify this distinction and improve conditions for hearing impaired people, some countries designate sign language as an official language, allowing them to access more diverse and abundant information. This misconception arises from the prejudice that sign language is no different from body language, and many people who hold this belief overlook the fact that body language vary depending on region and culture. Therefore, in search of limitations of sign language in communicating by English-language based technical terms, this study will explore the ability of spoken language and sign language customers to express the problem through analyzing the electronics product put into two groups for after service and their disadvantages through communication duration with customer agents as well as success frequency of solving the problem in quantitative data.