British Sign Language (BSL) is a complex visual, spatial language which uses the hands, face, head and body. BSL is distinct from English in it’s grammar and structure.

Signs are produced by manual features (ie the hands formed into a particular hand-shape and orientation to each other and in space, in a particular location on or in front of the body with appropriate accompanying facial expression and body or head movement).

Each sign is accompanied by a “lippattern” (this term is used throughout the website) which may be similar to an English word or look like a part of an English word or may be completely different from English