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Comment by hirundo | Hacker News Reader

Isn't sign language less efficient than typing? Are there conditions where you are on a video call with a keyboard in front of you, where you prefer to use sign language over typing? Or is the use case when you're away from a keyboard? Would it help to have text-to-speech built into the video software?

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My understanding is that deaf people far prefer signing. For deaf people it’s easier to both sign and to read signs than writing.

Language emerged from gesture and it’s these people’s native form of communication.

What's your point? The same can be said with regards to oral communication.

People who communicate in sign language do so in a very expressive way, a way that pure text cannot capture. You should go out of your way to experience this for yourself.

My point is that I'm ignorant on the subject but interested and so am asking questions to learn about it.

Do you use audio/video chat? Why don't you type instead?

I personally prefer text to voice in most situations, and work intensively with several colleagues who feel the same at least for work. But I'm an introvert and recluse and recognize that this isn't normal.

And you won't get any enlightening information via text chat like this. Go experience sign language.

The person asked a question with curiosity and you chose not once but twice to respond rudely.

It is ableism wearing the mask of curiosity.

Sign language is not English.

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