[Slling-l] Deaf student creates more than 100 new BSL signs for scientific terms

[Mark Mandel]

*From ABC News*

*Deaf student creates more than 100 new signs for scientific terms*

https://abcnews.go.com/International/deaf-student-creates-100-signs-scientific-terms/story

When Liam Mcmulkin began his studies at Scotland’s University of Dundee, he
quickly realized a glaring oversight not only in the program, but in
British Sign Language in general: signs for science.

As he delved into more complex topics, and learned words such as
phosphorylation or oxidation, the signs that were used to communicate the
lessons often took up an inefficient amount of time because they had to be
spelled out with each letter, he said.

“It’s not easy to convey complex processes with a few hand gestures,” he
told ABC News via email on Monday.

"With terms about developmental biology spring up, I made a conscious
decision to start creating signs that I thought were required," he said.

He has since created more than 100 new signs to use in his science courses.

Mcmulkin said creating each sign requires following the grammar structure,
hand shape and movement of British Sign Language. Then each term has to be
agreed upon by a forum of sign linguists, deaf people and deaf specialists.

It took him about two months.

The University of Dundee, located in the city of the same name, plans to
continue using the new signs for years to come.

"If you imagine having to finger spell highly technical terms whilst
sitting in a lecture or having a quick conversation with a colleague, you
can appreciate how taxing and difficult it has been for Liam."

Simon Harvey, a spokesman for the official site for British Sign Language’s
online courses, said new terms become part of the language once they are
regularly used.

“If these scientific vocabulary signs have begun to be used by others
around the country then they will begin to be recognised as BSL signs,” he
said.

Mcmulkin, now in his third year at the school, hopes to continue his
endeavor, which was first reported by the BBC, and help more students as
they make their way through complex science courses.
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