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The Economic Times Explores How Sign Languages Shape the World of Food
The Economic Times explored how food signs in ASL, ISL and other sign languages reflect culture, history and everyday life.
How Sign Languages Shape Food Culture: The Story Behind Everyday Signs
The Economic Times recently published an article titled How Sign Languages Shape the World of Food, written by Vikram Doctor. The article explores how signs for food differ across sign languages and how they reflect the culture, history and daily lives of the people who use them.
How Food Signs Differ
The sign for “potato” is one example of these differences. In American Sign Language (ASL), the sign resembles testing a potato with a fork. In some other sign languages, the sign is linked to peeling a potato. Indian Sign Language (ISL) has its own variations. Signs can also change over time. For example, the ISL sign for “vegetables” has changed from a gesture linked to an older cutting tool to one that resembles chopping with a knife.
More Than a Way to Communicate
Food signs show how sign languages are connected to everyday experiences, tools and cultural practices. Different signs for the same food do not make one version more correct than another. They reflect each language's unique development and the communities that use it.
ISH News CEO Alok Kejriwal shared the article as an interesting read. It is encouraging to see mainstream media explore sign languages and Deaf culture in their own right.
Sign languages do more than help people communicate. They also carry stories about culture, history, and everyday life.