Other than sign language how can you communicate nonverbally?

Can you explain why sign language is out? A simple case that they don’t know it? Then other facial and hand gestures could work. Could they write? Or use a computer programme like Stephen Hawking?

It’s the case that I as the writer don’t know it so they wouldn’t know it either.
They can write but they don’t own a computer.

A small dry-erase board or chalk board, like the slates used by scuba divers.

link

Also you could research enough to know how people use sign language. You wouldn’t have to write masses of detail about the signs this person made. That would be a bit dull anyway

Tapping thumb and forefinger together to transmit Morse Code.
Blinking in Morse Code.
Tracing words with a finger into someone’s palm or on their back.
Eye movement. up is yes; down is no
Pointing to letters on a board.

Writing on a notepad.

The hearing person could speak into a Siri that will type out what is said. The deaf person can type into a Siri system that will speak. That is if you are allowing any type of speaking for the interaction.

For yes and no questions from others they can tap their foot, or give a simple thumbs up or down, unless you count that as sign language.

A certain amount of body language and facial expressions can work.

Playing with hair, licking lips, widening eyes..

You can get a hint from watching this trailer for “Speechless”, a TV show about a non verbal teen starting this fall.

I work with people with disabilities. We once had a client who was unable to use her tongue and lips to form words, and had a frozen face musculature, but who was adept at modulating her voice in pitch and volume. It was amazing to me how much she was able to get across just using voice modulation. Technically, she wasn’t actually saying any words at all, yet you knew exactly what she was “saying”, and not just on some primitive level. It vividly demonstrated to me how much of spoken language is not actually consonants and vowels at all.

@anonymouswriterchan Body language, mime and facial expressions.

“If looks could kill” comes to mind. You could write, in detail, the characters facial expressions related to what they are trying to communicate. Anger, fear, sorrow, contentment, joy, etc.

Flash your lights, honk your horn, kick ‘em in the ass, flip ‘em off, give the “OK” sign with one hand, make faces, break stuff. Write all responses on a notebook with removable pages.

What is the plot of the story?

If they don’t have a computer, they’d be communicating only with people they are in direct contact with. In that case, I’d consider touch as a communication option.

Telepathy .

@thorninmud It vividly demonstrated to me how much of spoken language is not actually consonants and vowels at all.

Much of spoken language is rhythm and melody, or intonation. I’m reminded of when I first heard someone non-verbally intone “I don’t know”. “Yes” was “mmm hmm”, with the second syllable a higher tone than the first; “No” was ”hmmm mmm”, with the first syllable a higher tone, and a full stop before the second; “I don’t know” was a three-note melody (mmm mmm mmm), the second note (don’t) being higher than the first (I), and the third (know) starting low and sliding up to a point somewhere between the first two.

@anonymouswriterchan Touch.

Well, if they can write, then writing notes on paper comes to mind.

Does writing count? If so, writing, braille, texts, signs, etc. If not, body language? Touch?

The sound of racking a round in a firearm communicates a lot.

Pushing someone away (or pulling them closer) in an intimate embrace can definitely be considered nonverbal communication.

An important note here… Linguistically, sign language is not “non-verbal.” There are words, morphology, grammar, syntax, semantics, structure, conventions, and all. In this context “verbal” means linguistic which is a different term than “spoken.”

I’m an ASL linguist, so those particulars are important to me.

Spoken information can be linguistic, and can also be paralinguistic (pauses, drawing words out, tone, pitch, breathing patterns, onomatopoeia, beatboxing)

Non-verbal/paralinguistic expressions express thoughts in conventionalized ways (like a shrug) without the use of of a specific language structure. That means writing is still also verbal.

Some ways to communicate non-verbally: proximity (standing too close or backing off fast), body positioning (manspreading, hugging torso), breathing (sighs, sharp intakes)

<3

When we’re in the car and Rick is driving, all I have to do is glance and him and he knows he needs to check something. Like, “YOU’RE TOO CLOSE BEHIND THAT GUY!!”