what language do deaf people think in

11 months ago 33
Nature

Deaf people think in different ways depending on their level of vocal training and their primary method of communication. Some deaf people think in American Sign Language (ASL), while others think in the vocal language they learned, with their brains coming up with how the vocal language sounds. Additionally, when they think, they may see themselves signing from a first-person or third-person point of view. Those who were born completely deaf and only learned sign language will think in sign language. Some deaf people primarily think in images, while others mostly think in words or a combination of both. Deaf people may also switch between imagining themselves communicating and imagining perceiving, or watching the communication of others. Some deaf people have even reported that they think in written English, visualizing subtitles or Star Wars text. In summary, deaf people think in the language they are most comfortable with, which could be a signed or spoken language, and their thinking process may involve images, signs, or words.