Glossary (Version 8.4)

See Depicting signs.

The conventional form of the hand in a sign.

The term used to describe the process by which deaf children born into hearing families and whose parents do not know sign language learn the language. Typically children learn language through the process of vertical transmission, from the preceding, older, generation who share the language. This is less common for deaf children, who often acquire sign language from deaf peers, particularly those who come from deaf families.