Sign of the times

I had to note ten things that would like to achieve in the next year as part of a training course. In all honesty, most of the attendees could probably have written a list at least double that, with ‘to achieve’ tasks ranging from those office housekeeping
jobs we always mean to get round to doing, to climbing Mount Kilimanjaro.

But we were limited to
ten, and among the usual work-related aims, it was interesting that the majority
of us, including myself, put ‘learning a new language’ at
the top.

Whether anyone on the course achieved this goal,
I don’t know, but I didn’t manage it that year. But my desire to learn how to communicate with a wider range of people remained.

Last September, I finally took the plunge and signed up for college. My language choice surprised most people, though.

I didn’t opt for Spanish, despite all the images that
the word alone may conjure
up of conversing with waiters over a glass of Sangria by the sea. Nor did I choose Italian, with dreams of discussing the
latest fashions with designers
in Milan. I decided to learn British Sign Language (BSL).

The first question people
tend to ask is why. The answer
is simple. I once saw a client
who was deaf trying to converse with our receptionist about a letter she had received. I could see how frustrated she was
but, sadly, there was nobody
to help her.

My BSL teacher has been
deaf since the age of one. He is unable to speak, yet he has managed to teach us to such
a high level that in my recent exam I felt confident signing
to him about my home and
the area I live in for over
five minutes.

As well as teaching me the skills needed to communicate via sign, my BSL course has also given me an insight into how the world differs when you are deaf or have a disability.

Imagine how impossible it would be to navigate your way through everyday situations if you were unable to make yourself understood. How would you explain what the problem was at the doctors, ask a sales assistant whether they had something in a different colour or size, or explain to a solicitor exactly what your needs are in relation to a will or conveyancing services?

As a solicitor, I have a professional obligation to my client to ensure that they have understood my explanation or the options available to them.

I certainly do not profess
to be an expert – I am only
on level one of six. I would
feel confident, however, in getting basic information
across to a client and
finger-spelling any words I
did not know the sign for.

The other plus point is that not only do I love learning, I also love using sign language. Once a week for three hours there are no spoken words, just signing. For this busy lawyer, the peace is a welcome change.

Now all I need to do is to teach my household to converse in an equally silent manner. SJ

Claire Currie is a partner at Kirwans