British Sign Language Interpreting
- ISO:9001 quality certified
- Excellent customer service
- Expertise in more than 120 languages
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Everything you need from a BSL interpreting service
More than 9 million people in the UK have some form of hearing loss. That’s nearly 1 in 7 people. For around 80 000 of those people, British Sign Language (BSL) is their first or preferred language. Asian Absolute’s BSL interpreting services for the UK ensure that you can always communicate clearly. In any situation where you or another person need interpretation between English and BSL.
Is this going to be a stressful or complex topic? A sensitive discussion? A meeting with confidential information involved?
It won’t be a problem. Whether you need to make a presentation in British Sign Language and be understood in English. Cater to all the language needs of your audience. Make your next doctor’s appointment easier. Or you’re one of those businesses which has realised the importance of connecting properly with the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community.
Your BSL interpreter will have the experience and professionalism you require. It’s exactly the same expertise you get with any of the hundred other languages Asian Absolute provides expert linguists for.
Why choose Asian Absolute?
You’ll find it simple to get the BSL interpreters you need anywhere in the UK. Asian Absolute ensures that you are paired with the linguist who is right for you.
Because just like any language, having a linguist who has in-depth knowledge of your field is key. It’s the only way you can clearly communicate in technically challenging fields such as medicine, finance or engineering. And know you’re doing so as effectively as you do in your own language. Whether that language is BSL or English.
- Count on an expert linguist selected from the NRCPD database(National Registers of Communication Professionals working with Deaf and Deafblind People)
- Work with a specialist in your fieldwhen required – someone with qualifications and/or experience in your particular industry
- Rely on the same expertise which has been delivering interpreting services in more than 120 languages around the worldsince 2000
- Award-winning project managementrecognised as meeting the industry’s sought-after ISO:9001 quality standard
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Contact us now and tell us about your language requirements. You can get any extra information you might need or request a free, no-obligation quote at any time.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is BSL?
British Sign Language is the type of sign language predominantly used in the UK. It is a visual language which relies on hand shapes, gestures, body language and facial expressions. In 2003, it gained official recognition as a minority language.
When someone in the UK says “sign language”, it’s usually BSL that they’re talking about. But there are many different types of sign languages used across the world. There are even others used within the UK.
BSL isn’t like speaking English using your hands. It is a true language, with its own topic-comment sentence construction, grammar and vocabulary.
How is BSL different from other sign languages?
To someone not familiar with sign languages, it’s easy enough to assume that they are the same the world over. However, that’s not the case. There is no global sign language.
But some are linked. BSL shares many features with BANZSL (British, Australian and New Zealand Sign Languages) as they all evolved from the 19th-century version of British Sign Language. On the other hand, it’s dramatically different from:
- Signed Englishand Sign Supported English (SSE) are not true languages. But they are widely used in the UK. They stick more closely to the word order of spoken English but do use BSL signs.
- American Sign Languageor ASL shares around 30% of signs with BSL.
- Irish Sign Languageis more closely related to French Sign Language.
- Regional dialects and colloquialismsmean that even speakers of BSL in different parts of the UK might not understand each other.
If you need American, Irish, Scottish or Welsh sign language interpreters, Asian Absolute is still the ideal partner to help you. If you’re not sure which is going to be best for your particular event or situation, simply get in touch.
When would I need BSL interpreting services in the UK?
If you are not hearing-impaired yourself, there are still several reasons why you might need BSL interpreting services:
- In order to make your services more accessible to deaf or hard of hearing people (making “reasonable adjustments” to do so is actually a legal requirement)
- To ensure your speech, seminar, meetingor conference in the UK caters to every language spoken by your audience.