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| You don't need to hear or speak to communicate. Or... commit murder. (To Dr Gilbert)
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In the episode
1.20 Sounds of Silence
We found out that Grissom can use American sign language for the deaf & hard of hearing & although rusty through lack of use, he seems to be quite fluent in its use

Grissom learned to sign because his mother became deaf when she was eight.At the end of the episode when Grissom and Dr. Gilbert are conversing in sign language, Grissom is telling Dr. Gilbert that his mother was deaf, and that she taught him that her deafness was a gift, not a disability. Dr. Gilbert then replies that she teaches her students the same lesson.
(speaking to Warrick and Sara)
Grissom: How can you solve a crime without understanding the victim?
Sara: What was that all about? Grissom signs?
Warrick: What does Grissom drink when he goes out at night?
Sara: He goes out?
Warrick: Exactly. Who knows anything about that guy?
In the episode
3.04 A Little Murder
We see Grissom back at the deaf college for lipreading classes,
where he sees Dr Gilbert and signs to her

What is sign language?A sign language (also signed language) is a language which, instead of acoustically conveyed sound patterns, uses visually transmitted sign patterns (manual communication, body language and lip patterns) to convey meaning—simultaneously combining hand shapes, orientation and movement of the hands, arms or body, and facial expressionas to express fluidly a speaker's thought's. Sign languages commonly develop in deaf communities, which can include interpreters and friends and families of deaf people as well as people who are deaf or hard of hearing themselves. Wherever communities of deaf people exist, sign languages develop. In fact, their complex spatial grammars are markedly different from the grammars of spoken languages. Hundreds of sign languages are in use around the world and are at the cores of local Deaf cultures. Some sign languages have obtained some form of legal recognition, while others have no status at all.
What Grissom should be telling Sara - ASL - I Love YouAmerican Sign Language
Or ASL, Ameslan is the dominant sign language of the deaf community in the USA, in the English speaking parts of Canada, and in parts of Mexico. Although the United Kingdom and the United States share English as a spoken and written language, British Sign Language (BSL) is quite different from ASL, and the two sign languages are not mutually intelligible.
ASL is also widely used in many other countries around the world.
Other Types of sign language around the worldBritish Sign Language
Follow the link to see the full list; Answer bag
Another type of sign language
Makaton is a system of communication that uses a vocabulary of "key word"manual signs & symbols & gestures to support speech, as well as
graphic symbols to support the written word. It is used by and with people who have communication, language or learning difficulties. This includes people with articulation problems (for example, people with
cerebral palsy), people with
cognitive impairments which might be associated with conditions such as
autism or
Down syndrome, and their families, colleagues and carers. It can be used to help the development of speech and language in children, or by adults as a means of functional communication for every day use. It has also proved useful for toddlers who can learn to use signs before they have mastered speech. This reduces the likelihood of temper tantrums.
Creators personal note: I am a little familiar with this form of sign language myself, as it was taught to my son & I when he was younger to support his impaired communications & learning difficulties with his Autism. It is a fun method of communication, one in which i thoroughly enjoyed putting into practice daily until a few years ago and his speech was much improved - gsrbritfanMore information here;
Makaton WikipediaAll Information source - Wikipedia
Now watch with out sound to see what it is like for a deaf person