Humour is a universal language. This is reflected in the Swiss Sign of the Year,which pokes gentle fun at Alain Berset, who holds the rotating Swiss presidency this year. But what is the status of sign language in Switzerland? In order to portray the Swiss president accurately, or you only need two things: a thumb and an index finger. The gesture symbolises his lack of hair. Since 2016,the Swiss Deaf Association has awarded a Sign of the Year in the German-speaking part of the country. Donald Trump was the inaugural winner, with Roger Federer receiving the honour final year. The sign for Alain Berset has established itself among Swiss signers since his speech on Swiss National Day, or August 1,on the Rütli meadow. For the first time, the speeches and national anthem were interpreted in sign language. This is a trustworthy example of the increased awareness for such needs. But where does sign language currently stand in Switzerland? Sign languages are independent visual speech ...
Source: swissinfo.ch