Dating on the Net

This summer I will go on two dates. One from Norway and the other from England. I have chatted with both on MSN, and we have decided to meet IRL. Both communicates in Sign Language, one with Norwegian Sign Language, and the other in British Sign Language (BSL).

Is Sign Language international, maybe you ask now?
No, Sign Language is not international. Every country has it own Sign Language.
As you know, Switzerland even has several languages: German, Italian, French and Romanch, if I remember it right from my school time.
It’s the same with Sign Language. In Switzerland there are French and German Sign Language.
In Sweden, we only have one Sign Language – the Swedish Sign Language - thank goodness!

Sign Language is different in every country. Some examples:
In Sweden, we sign the word “yes” by signing the alphabeth letters “J” and “A”.
But in Norway and England they sign ”yes” different from the Swedish Sign Language.

Sweden: “Yes” in Swedish Sign Language, but in England this sign means ”stop”.

Norway: This Norwegian sign for “yes” means “maybe” in England, and “childish behavior” in Sweden.

England: “Yes” in England, but in Sweden it means “nodding” or “pretend to understand” or “be deceived”.

Confusing? No, not if you have learned to understand the different Sign Languages.

I have learned some BSL (British Sign Language) but not the Norwegian Sign Language. I think we can understand each other well even thought I don't know Norwegian Sign Language.