BSL

BSL is the first language of around 145,000 adults and children in the UK. BSL uses hand gestures, facial expressions and body language to communicate. It is mainly used by people who are Deaf or who have hearing difficulties. BSL has developed its own grammar and structure and is not strongly related to spoken English. People who use BSL are proud of their language and the culture that has developed among the community who use it. BSL was officially recognised by the government as a minority language in 2003. BTM has its own specialist worker who is well known to the local Deaf community and offers BSL translation facilities, filming, editing, subtitling and DVD production and distribution.