---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Sign language is the equal of speech…"
description: "\"Sign language is the equal of speech, lending itself equally to the rigorous and the poetic, to philosophical analysis or to making love.\" — Oliver Sacks"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/235/oliver-sacks-2132_analysis_sign-language-is-the-equal-of-speech-len_2264866.jpg"
---

#  Sign language is the equal of speech, lending itself…

![“Sign language is the equal of speech, lending itself equally to the rigorous and the poetic, to philosophical analysis or to making love.” quote by Oliver Sacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/235/oliver-sacks-2132_analysis_sign-language-is-the-equal-of-speech-len_2264866.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/235/oliver-sacks-2132_analysis_sign-language-is-the-equal-of-speech-len_2264866.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/235/oliver-sacks-2132_analysis_sign-language-is-the-equal-of-speech-len_2264866.jpg)

> “Sign language is the equal of speech, lending itself equally to the rigorous and the poetic, to philosophical analysis or to making love.”

[Oliver Sacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-sacks/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Sign language holds equal expressive power to spoken language, capable of conveying both precise analysis and deep emotion.

**In simple terms:** Sign language is as rich as speech.

Key Takeaway

Recognize and value sign language as a full linguistic medium.

Themes

communication equality expression

Mood

empathetic educational

Type

advocacy inspirational

When to use this quote

- education
- interpreter work
- artistic performance
- relationships

Key Concepts

linguistics accessibility

Questions to Reflect On

- How can we promote sign language equality?
- What emotions are uniquely expressed through sign?

A Different Perspective

Societal bias may undervalue sign language despite its richness.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Analysis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/analysis/) [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Equal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/equal/) [Equal Speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/equal-speech-5225215/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Language Equal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language-equal-5225213/) [Lending](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lending/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Making love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-love/) [Philosophical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophical/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Poetic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetic/) [Poetic Philosophical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetic-philosophical-2872700/) [Rigorous Poetic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rigorous-poetic-5225214/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Sign language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sign-language/) [Speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speech/)

## Related quotes

> [In life, we're all fighting for something. And I don't say that to be poetic or philosophical. Often it's the simplest things like taking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-atlas/in-life-we-re-all-fighting-for-something-and-i-don-t-say-that-to-be/)

[Teddy Atlas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-atlas/)

> [“… in these new days and in these new pages a philosophical tradition of the spontaneity of speculation kind has been rekindled on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-mc-sweeney/in-these-new-days-and-in-these-new-pages-a-philosophical-tradition-of/)

[Richard Mc Sweeney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-mc-sweeney/)

> [The desire to keep television out of our son's life was one of the few parenting priorities my husband and I agreed on from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-brooks/the-desire-to-keep-television-out-of-our-son-s-life-was-one-of-the/)

[Kim Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-brooks/)

> [Tolkien made dwarf sign language because, you know, it's too loud to talk in the mines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-armitage/tolkien-made-dwarf-sign-language-because-you-know-it-s-too-loud-to/)

[Richard Armitage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-armitage/)

> [“Ken brought my hand to his lips and kissed it. I'd been paying so much attention to Ken, I didn't know what happened during…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/z-a-maxfield/ken-brought-my-hand-to-his-lips-and-kissed-it-i-d-been-paying-so-much/)

[Z.A. Maxfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/z-a-maxfield/)

> [“Loretta’s shoulders slumped in defeat. With numb hands she lowered the rifle to the dirt. A nasty grin twisted Hunter’s mouth. “So it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-anderson/loretta-s-shoulders-slumped-in-defeat-with-numb-hands-she-lowered-the/)

[Catherine Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-anderson/)

> [Hey Hater sign language middle finger, middle finger let me tell you now intergalictical I see you rockin with oh i see them 3…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kid-cudi/hey-hater-sign-language-middle-finger-middle-finger-let-me-tell-you/)

[Kid Cudi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kid-cudi/)

> [In the deaf community, we give people name signs based on their quirks or characteristics. So it means you can't really give someone a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-ridloff/in-the-deaf-community-we-give-people-name-signs-based-on-their-quirks/)

[Lauren Ridloff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-ridloff/)

> [ When Marlee \[Matlin\] won her Oscar, she said, "and I just want to thank my parents." When I was saying those words for her,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-jason/when-marlee-matlin-won-her-oscar-she-said-and-i-just-want-to-thank-my/)

[Jack Jason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-jason/)

> [“Mom turned to me, puzzled. In sign language, she asked, “What was Grandpa saying in the kitchen?” My heart froze.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-ann-walker/mom-turned-to-me-puzzled-in-sign-language-she-asked-what-was-grandpa/)

[Lou Ann Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-ann-walker/)

> [If you are to reach masses of people in this world, you must do it by a sign language. Whether your vehicle be commerce,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-jay-chapman/if-you-are-to-reach-masses-of-people-in-this-world-you-must-do-it-by/)

[John Jay Chapman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-jay-chapman/)

> [American Sign Language is my native tongue. That's the first thing that I learned to communicate with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-raci/american-sign-language-is-my-native-tongue-that-s-the-first-thing/)

[Paul Raci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-raci/)

> [ He pointed toward the silhouettes on the side of the \[bathrooms\] instead--black cutout man, black cutout woman. The man had his legs apart, the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/he-pointed-toward-the-silhouettes-on-the-side-of-the-bathrooms/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [While taking sign language in high school, one of our assignments was to go out and participate in the deaf community, so I really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-lavine/while-taking-sign-language-in-high-school-one-of-our-assignments-was/)

[Zach LaVine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-lavine/)

> [In the hearing world, I'm constantly having to lip-read and trying to understand what's going on. Sign language is so beautiful. It gives you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-ayling-ellis/in-the-hearing-world-i-m-constantly-having-to-lip-read-and-trying-to/)

[Rose Ayling-Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-ayling-ellis/)

## More by Oliver Sacks

> [“The feelings are similar, in some ways, to those one has in Rome or Athens, but quite different in other ways, because this culture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-sacks/the-feelings-are-similar-in-some-ways-to-those-one-has-in-rome-or/)

[Oliver Sacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-sacks/)

> [But the saddest difference between them was that Zazetsky, as Luria said, 'fought to regain his lost faculties with the indomitable tenacity of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-sacks/but-the-saddest-difference-between-them-was-that-zazetsky-as-luria/)

[Oliver Sacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-sacks/)

> [Music can lift us out of depression or move us to tears - it is a remedy, a tonic, orange juice for the ears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-sacks/music-can-lift-us-out-of-depression-or-move-us-to-tears-it-is-a/)

[Oliver Sacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-sacks/)

> [“We have five senses in which we glory and which we recognise and celebrate, senses that constitute the sensible world for us. But there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-sacks/we-have-five-senses-in-which-we-glory-and-which-we-recognise-and/)

[Oliver Sacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-sacks/)

> [“But it must be said from the outset that a disease is never a mere loss or excess— that there is always a reaction,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-sacks/but-it-must-be-said-from-the-outset-that-a-disease-is-never-a-mere/)

[Oliver Sacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-sacks/)

> [There is no one part of the brain which recognizes or responds emotionally to music. Instead, there are many different parts responding to different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-sacks/there-is-no-one-part-of-the-brain-which-recognizes-or-responds/)

[Oliver Sacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-sacks/)

> [I think there is no culture in which music is not very important and central. That's why I think of us as a sort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-sacks/i-think-there-is-no-culture-in-which-music-is-not-very-important-and/)

[Oliver Sacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-sacks/)

> [Who cared if there was really any Being to pray to? What mattered was the sense of giving thanks and praise, the feeling of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-sacks/who-cared-if-there-was-really-any-being-to-pray-to-what-mattered-was/)

[Oliver Sacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-sacks/)

> [“unconscious motives may sometimes ally themselves to physiological propensities, of how one cannot abstract an ailment or its treatment from the whole pattern, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-sacks/unconscious-motives-may-sometimes-ally-themselves-to-physiological/)

[Oliver Sacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-sacks/)

> [“We have, each of us, a life-story, an inner narrative — whose continuity, whose sense, is our lives. It might be said that each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-sacks/we-have-each-of-us-a-life-story-an-inner-narrative-whose-continuity/)

[Oliver Sacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-sacks/)

> [I regard music therapy as a tool of great power in many neurological disorders -- Parkinson's and Alzheimer's -- because of its unique capacity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-sacks/i-regard-music-therapy-as-a-tool-of-great-power-in-many-neurological/)

[Oliver Sacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-sacks/)

> [Psychotic hallucinations, whether they are visual or vocal, they address you. They accuse you. They seduce you. They humiliate you. They jeer at you.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-sacks/psychotic-hallucinations-whether-they-are-visual-or-vocal-they/)

[Oliver Sacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-sacks/)

> [Much more of the brain is devoted to movement than to language. Language is only a little thing sitting on top of this huge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-sacks/much-more-of-the-brain-is-devoted-to-movement-than-to-language/)

[Oliver Sacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-sacks/)

> [About 10 percent of the hearing impaired get musical hallucinations, and about 10 percent of the visually impaired get visual hallucinations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-sacks/about-10-percent-of-the-hearing-impaired-get-musical-hallucinations/)

[Oliver Sacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-sacks/)

> [The rhythm of music is very, very important for people with Parkinson's. But it's also very important with other sorts of patients, such as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-sacks/the-rhythm-of-music-is-very-very-important-for-people-with-parkinson/)

[Oliver Sacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-sacks/)

[Explore all 177 Oliver Sacks quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-sacks/)

## More Analysis quotes

> [Jeff Chu's pilgrimage across America to discover his own place as a gay man in the Christian church as well as attitudes about being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-freitas/jeff-chu-s-pilgrimage-across-america-to-discover-his-own-place-as-a/)

[Donna Freitas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-freitas/)

> [My mind rebels at stagnation. Give me problems, give me work, give me the most abstruse cryptogram, or the most intricate analysis, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/my-mind-rebels-at-stagnation-give-me-problems-give-me-work-give-me/)

[Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/)

> [Combining the experience of a seasoned university president with the analysis of a respected legal scholar, Derek Bok explores what he concludes are 'signs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-h-t-rhodes/combining-the-experience-of-a-seasoned-university-president-with-the/)

[Frank H. T. Rhodes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-h-t-rhodes/)

> [International friendly games are not worth the lives of the silk worms who perish to make the pennants. They do not even have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-baker/international-friendly-games-are-not-worth-the-lives-of-the-silk/)

[Danny Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-baker/)

> [Demographically, I'm a hippie from San Francisco and I'm not culturally inclined to be sympathetic to states' rights. My cultural heritage is FDR and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-wolf/demographically-i-m-a-hippie-from-san-francisco-and-i-m-not/)

[Naomi Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-wolf/)

> [Democracy is not being well served as we're accustomed to. There is less information, there's less investigation, there's less analysis, there's less accountability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-greenspon/democracy-is-not-being-well-served-as-we-re-accustomed-to-there-is/)

[Edward Greenspon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-greenspon/)

> [As long as the human race is able to concern itself with more than mere survival, soccer will have its place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-morris/as-long-as-the-human-race-is-able-to-concern-itself-with-more-than/)

[Desmond Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-morris/)

> [The capitalistic social order, therefore, is an economic democracy in the strictest sense of the word. In the last analysis, all decisions are dependent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/the-capitalistic-social-order-therefore-is-an-economic-democracy-in/)

[Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/)

> [“You will do one of two things as soon as you’ve exhausted what you can determine mathematically in the case: (1) Refine your hypothesis…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-cheng/you-will-do-one-of-two-things-as-soon-as-you-ve-exhausted-what-you/)

[Victor Cheng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-cheng/)

> [Atheism Explained is a gem. It is clear, informative, well-argued, provocative, often witty, and unfailingly interesting. David Ramsay Steele ranges over so many issues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-shearmur/atheism-explained-is-a-gem-it-is-clear-informative-well-argued/)

[Jeremy Shearmur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-shearmur/)

> [Class is entirely intangible, and the way it affects things isn't subject to scientific analysis, and it's not supposed to be real but it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-walton/class-is-entirely-intangible-and-the-way-it-affects-things-isn-t/)

[Jo Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-walton/)

> [I've always made my decisions based on two factors: intellectual analysis and my gut. And when they meet, that's a go from me. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ovitz/i-ve-always-made-my-decisions-based-on-two-factors-intellectual/)

[Michael Ovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ovitz/)

> [Analysis of opponents is something I like doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millie-bright/analysis-of-opponents-is-something-i-like-doing/)

[Millie Bright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millie-bright/)

> [What matters supremely, therefore, is not, in the last analysis, the fact that I know God, but the larger fact which underlies it -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer/what-matters-supremely-therefore-is-not-in-the-last-analysis-the-fact/)

[J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/)

> [We are well aware that he spent many hours recently tape recording various messages... we need to do a little more analysis of what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoff-hoon/we-are-well-aware-that-he-spent-many-hours-recently-tape-recording/)

[Geoff Hoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoff-hoon/)

[Browse all 1,547 Analysis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/analysis/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Sign language is the equal of speech, lending itself equally to the rigorous and the poetic, to philosophical analysis or to making love.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Oliver Sacks"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-sacks/sign-language-is-the-equal-of-speech-lending-itself-equally-to-the/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Analysis"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-sacks/sign-language-is-the-equal-of-speech-lending-itself-equally-to-the/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/235/oliver-sacks-2132_analysis_sign-language-is-the-equal-of-speech-len_2264866.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/235/oliver-sacks-2132_analysis_sign-language-is-the-equal-of-speech-len_2264866.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/235/oliver-sacks-2132_analysis_sign-language-is-the-equal-of-speech-len_2264866.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Sign language is the equal of speech, lending itself equally to the rigorous and the poetic, to…” — Oliver Sacks",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Oliver Sacks",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-sacks/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Sign language is the equal of...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-sacks/sign-language-is-the-equal-of-speech-lending-itself-equally-to-the/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-sacks/sign-language-is-the-equal-of-speech-lending-itself-equally-to-the/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
