Depiction in British Sign Language

How BSL shows meaning instead of naming it

Once reference is established and a viewpoint is chosen, British Sign Language often does something that spoken languages cannot do easily. It depicts. Depiction is not about choosing the right handshape or label. It is about using space, movement, and the body to show how something exists or happens.

This is where much of BSL’s grammar lives — and where many explanations go wrong.

What depiction is

Depiction happens when a signer shows an event, object, or relationship, rather than describing it by name. Instead of saying what something is, the signer shows: how it moves, how it is positioned and how it relates to something else.

The meaning emerges from the depiction itself, not from a one-to-one match with an English word. This is why describing these structures as “classifiers” is often unhelpful on its own. The handshape matters, but it is not the unit of meaning.

This is not illustration. It is grammar.

Depiction builds on reference

Depiction does not float freely. Before a signer can depict something, the viewer must already know what is being depicted. That work is done through reference. Once a referent is established, the signer can depict its behaviour, location, or interaction without naming it again.

If reference is unclear, depiction becomes confusing.

If reference is solid, depiction becomes precise.

Depiction and viewpoint work together

Depiction changes depending on viewpoint. From an observer viewpoint, depiction often shows: movement between locations, spatial relationships as well as paths and trajectories.

From a participant viewpoint, depiction often involves: body-based action, eye gaze and facial orientation, partial embodiment f the referent. The same event can be depicted differently depending on where the signer is positioned in relation to it.

Why handshapes are not the starting point

Many learners are taught to memorise handshapes and match them to categories. This reverses the logic of the language. In real BSL: the signer decides what needs to be shown, depiction emerges from that decision and the handshape follows the function.

The question is not “what classifier is this?”

The question is “what aspect of the situation is being depicted here?”

Depiction is structured, not free-form

Depiction is sometimes described as creative or illustrative, which can make it seem optional. It isn’t. Depicting constructions are constrained by: reference already established, chosen viewpoint, spatial coherence and/or shared expectation between signer and viewer.

A depiction that violates these constraints feels wrong to fluent users, even if it looks visually clear in isolation.

That is grammar at work.

A common misunderstanding

Depiction is often treated as something that appears mainly in stories or performances. In reality, it is routine. Signers use depiction to: describe everyday actions, explain layouts and processes, show how things happened and manage complex information efficiently.

It is not decoration. It is structure.

Why this matters

Depiction explains why: BSL can convey complex scenes economically, English translations expand, glossing fails to capture meaning and learners feel they “understand” but cannot reproduce.

Reference tells us what exists. Viewpoint tells us where the signer stands. Depiction shows us what is happening. Together, they account for much of BSL grammar without turning it into a list of rules.