How Disabled Can Also Help You With Language

Because they can’t move, see or talk, disabled need to focus on the sense they have. That’s how they develop skills we can’t ever imagine. Think about Stevie Wonder or the French singer Gilbert Montagné, they are simply amazing and very skilled. It’s not only because they are blind but also because they are talented and persistent.

Recently society has a better acceptance towards disabled and sign language became popular. Several students of mine also study ASL alongside French language and I think it’s wonderful. It has something interesting and more lively than the voiced language. It is at the same time a completely new created language, but has also a sort of deep connection with the humanity’s first language: gesture. For example when you ask for the time, say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ in almost every country it will be the same gesture. You don’t even need to think of a word. ASL is not as simple as this but you get the idea. It makes this language very connected with the body.

There are many things we can learn from disabled. They can even help us learn how to listen to the French language better. Thanks to technology and tools developed for them, many French programs include subtitles on their show. We can choose movies and anything with subtitles and soundtracks that come in such language. Deaf people become the reason why most of the French TV programs offer such feature. It’s a very good tool if you are learning French!

France.tv is the official website of the National Television in France. Using a VPN you can access all programs and select the subtitled ones.