Experts ‘rewild’ British Sign Language with new environmental terms

Creation of hundreds of signs aimed at making conversations about climate more accessible for deaf people

Scientists and British Sign Language users have created new signs for greenhouse gases, carbon footprint, and more than 200 other environmental terms.

It is hoped the effort to rewild" BSL will make climate and biodiversity science more accessible for deaf people.

Carbon footprint: Left hand as a C shape with right hand fingers moving away from the left hand to resemble carbon being released to the environment.

Greenhouse gases: Both hands in circular shapes move around to represent gases, then put the left hand at the horizontal position and move the right hand, with the index finger pointing, down and back up to the left hand to show the sunlight reflecting on Earth's surface.

Carnivores: Two five-fingered claws coming together as sharp teeth.

Herbivores: Closed fists together, palms facing, with right hand on top + slide knuckles against each other in a circular teeth grinding" motion.

Omnivores: Sign for carnivores" + sign for herbivores"

Cetaceans (marine mammals including whales, dolphins and porpoises): Bring hands together to form a circle that faces the ground (sign for group") + link thumbs, palms facing the body, and fan palms up and out to resemble whale tail fin".

Natural selection (the natural process whereby the best-adapted individuals survive longer, have more offspring, and thereby spread their characteristics): Two index fingers moving forward and the right hand, index still pointed, falls down", and the left index finger continues to stay upright and moves forward.

Rewilding (the process of creating habitats that are similar to the conditions present before the natural habitat was changed by human actions): Two flat hands, palms facing down, then drop palms while pulling hands back (sign for habitat" but upside down). Then right hand at a distance from the body turns from palm facing up to down.