What language do deaf people think in?

Have you ever wondered how deaf people think if they can’t hear spoken words?

The way they think depends on several factors, including how they were raised, when they became deaf, and whether they use sign language.

People who are deaf think in the same way as anyone else—they just may use different “languages” to do it. While hearing people think in words, deaf people may think in sign language or a combination of signs and written words. Their thoughts can be visual, and sometimes, they involve images, gestures, or even feelings.

For many deaf people who use sign language, their thoughts happen in that language. They might imagine themselves signing, or they might picture the signs in their mind. Just like hearing people “hear” words in their head, deaf people might “see” signs in their thoughts.

Deaf people who grow up learning sign language from an early age will think in that language. Their brain is used to processing information visually, so it becomes natural to think in signs. Just like how hearing people grow up thinking in their spoken language, deaf people who learn sign language early on will think in that language.

However, not all deaf people grow up with sign language. Some may learn it later in life or communicate using spoken and written language. In those cases, they might think in a combination of written words, signs, or even lip-reading.

Not all deaf people use sign language. Some who lose their hearing later in life, or who are taught to read lips or speak, may think in words or even in the spoken language they used before becoming deaf. For these people, their thoughts might involve written language, like reading words in their mind instead of hearing them.

In some cases, deaf people who don’t use sign language may rely on lip-reading and written communication. They might think in the language they read, which can be English or another written language.

The human brain is incredibly flexible, or what scientists call “plastic.” When someone is deaf, their brain adapts to process information visually instead of through sound. This means that instead of hearing words, a deaf person might visualise signs, pictures, or even written text when thinking.

In fact, studies have shown that deaf people who use sign language have active parts of their brain that help them process visual information. So, for them, thinking in sign language is just as natural as thinking in spoken words is for hearing people.

Just like hearing people dream in the language they speak, deaf people dream in sign language. In their dreams, they might see themselves or others signing. For those who use written language or lip-reading, their dreams might involve these forms of communication.

So, what language do deaf people think in? The answer depends on their personal experience, whether they grew up using sign language, and how they communicate.