JSL (Japanese Sign Language)
A form of nonverbal communication used by hand signals, expressions, and mouthing.
When using JSL, you cannot see what the other person has signed if there is something surrounding your vision. This can be a person, a wall, an object, etc.
If a person is not focused on your signs, the character will not have read it! (THIS IS METAGAMING)
You can grab their attention by a verbal or nonverbal command.
THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND!
Fingerspelling and air writing
Kuusho 空書くうしょ is air writing! This is signed Kanji.
Yubimoji 指文字ゆびもじ Is finger spelling! It is the Japanese alphabet signed.
Names and places without a sign name to them are fingerspelled or air spelled. When someone asks your name in JSL, please reply using this method.
(Example!):
VIDEO EXAMPLE:
Using /langw and /langy
Yes, this is possible.
To whisper a sign, you make your hands less visible shrouded to yourself. They can be quick or slow.
Yelling a sign creates exaggerated, bigger hand motions.
ON CALL....IN JSL?
This is possible, please preface that it is a video call!
CREATING DEAF, MUTE, HARD OF HEARING CHARACTERS
Okay! Now with that all out of the way...All of these are spectrums!
Quick vocab!
Deafness is the inability to hear.
Muteness is an inability to speak (WIDE SPECTRUM).
Hard of hearing creates an impaired sense of hearing (WIDE SPECTRUM).
DEAFNESS:
These people will rely solely on a mix of (or none at all): lipreading, body language, mannerisms, texting to speak, notepads, and JSL.
If your character has unexpectedly gone deaf through an incident or health related issue, they may struggle to adapt.
Cochlear Implants!:
This is a surgical procedure that installs hearing aids.
Here are some sources to create a better deaf character:
HARD OF HEARING:
This is a wide spectrum of people who have some form of hearing loss or imparity.
Much like deaf characters, the same rules apply with an added exception. They can hear! Depending on the severity of their hearing loss, these characters may ask you to repeat yourself if they are not lipreading. Some walk day to day life similar to a hearing person, having an underlying difficulty that doesn't impact their ability as much.
MUTISM:
There are many forms of mutism that include: Psychogenic/Selective Mutism, Elective Mutism, Total Mutism, Neurogenic Mutism, Mutism through Autism, and Akinetic Mutism.
(NOTE: There are more forms of mutism that I acknowledge which are not mentioned in this thread. They are valid and exist.)
Depending on the character's cause of mutism, they may be fully mute. These characters will rely on a mix (or none at all) of visual ques, body language, hearing, texting to communicate, or notepads!
Forcing a character with mutism to speak may create a trigger that causes them to stay silent longer! In other cases, a character may stammer or repeat words.
Example:
It may take these character's longer to recoup.
Links to better understand:
https://www.speechpathologygraduateprograms.org/mutism/
Hope this helps!
xoxo
A form of nonverbal communication used by hand signals, expressions, and mouthing.
When using JSL, you cannot see what the other person has signed if there is something surrounding your vision. This can be a person, a wall, an object, etc.
If a person is not focused on your signs, the character will not have read it! (THIS IS METAGAMING)
You can grab their attention by a verbal or nonverbal command.
| Nonverbal may look like. . . | Verbal may look like. . . |
| A waves a hand a reasonable distance away from B. | A pauses her signs midair, noticing B's daydreaming gaze. "Are you listening?" |
| B taps A on the shoulder! | B tilts their head, calling out A's name! B promptly repeats themselves. . . |
| B turns the light off, then on twice. (Commonly used for deaf and hard of hearing) | B and A are signing across the room. C unknowingly stands between their communicative vision. "Hey! Can you move?" B asks C, looking past to A. |
| A knocks on the wall with tender force, reclaiming B's attention. | "Can you repeat and slow down your signs? I'm...Still learning, hah." A rubs the back of their neck, watching as B repeat themselves. |
THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND!
Fingerspelling and air writing
Kuusho 空書くうしょ is air writing! This is signed Kanji.
Yubimoji 指文字ゆびもじ Is finger spelling! It is the Japanese alphabet signed.
Names and places without a sign name to them are fingerspelled or air spelled. When someone asks your name in JSL, please reply using this method.
(Example!):
VIDEO EXAMPLE:
Using /langw and /langy
Yes, this is possible.
To whisper a sign, you make your hands less visible shrouded to yourself. They can be quick or slow.
Yelling a sign creates exaggerated, bigger hand motions.
ON CALL....IN JSL?
This is possible, please preface that it is a video call!
CREATING DEAF, MUTE, HARD OF HEARING CHARACTERS
Okay! Now with that all out of the way...All of these are spectrums!
Quick vocab!
Deafness is the inability to hear.
Muteness is an inability to speak (WIDE SPECTRUM).
Hard of hearing creates an impaired sense of hearing (WIDE SPECTRUM).
DEAFNESS:
These people will rely solely on a mix of (or none at all): lipreading, body language, mannerisms, texting to speak, notepads, and JSL.
If your character has unexpectedly gone deaf through an incident or health related issue, they may struggle to adapt.
Cochlear Implants!:
This is a surgical procedure that installs hearing aids.
Here are some sources to create a better deaf character:
Icphs: Hard of Hearing or Deaf Characters
HARD OF HEARING:
This is a wide spectrum of people who have some form of hearing loss or imparity.
Much like deaf characters, the same rules apply with an added exception. They can hear! Depending on the severity of their hearing loss, these characters may ask you to repeat yourself if they are not lipreading. Some walk day to day life similar to a hearing person, having an underlying difficulty that doesn't impact their ability as much.
Reddit - How to Create a Hard of Hearing Character?
MUTISM:
There are many forms of mutism that include: Psychogenic/Selective Mutism, Elective Mutism, Total Mutism, Neurogenic Mutism, Mutism through Autism, and Akinetic Mutism.
(NOTE: There are more forms of mutism that I acknowledge which are not mentioned in this thread. They are valid and exist.)
Depending on the character's cause of mutism, they may be fully mute. These characters will rely on a mix (or none at all) of visual ques, body language, hearing, texting to communicate, or notepads!
Forcing a character with mutism to speak may create a trigger that causes them to stay silent longer! In other cases, a character may stammer or repeat words.
Example:
| Nonverbal may look like. . . | Verbal may look like. . . |
| B's shoulders leapt to their chin! A dryness takes over their palate. B opens their mouth to speak, no words come out. | "I- I- I...I'm sorry, can- can you please...Shhh" A readjusted their collar, was the air always that thick? "St- St-...Stop?" |
| A's gaze looks past B, shaking their head 'no'. This was all too much! How could B even expect A to process that? A swallows a lump forming in their throat. | C's sharp laugh fills the air! "Ohhhh, oh my Gohhhd! You sound like the pig from Loony Toons!" B's eyebrows knit together. A sea of shame wavers within their stomach. B was having a difficult time speaking today, having a stranger reinforce that made it much more real. "Sorry? ... S-Sorry, wh-what?" |
Links to better understand:
Brilliantio - Creating a Mute Character
https://www.speechpathologygraduateprograms.org/mutism/
Hope this helps!
xoxo
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