Ambrose Murangira

A few years ago, one of my supervisors for my master’s degree program asked me which language I dream in as a Deaf person. It was a thought-provoking question. Today, in a WhatsApp group for scholars, a PhD student asked: “In which language do persons born Deaf think?” I would therefore like to talk about this briefly. Someone out there could do more research. I will highlight a few points.

1. Those born deaf without early language

For many Deaf persons, access to language is delayed. If a child is born Deaf and is never introduced to sign language, they might grow up without a structured linguistic system. However, this does not mean they lack the ability to think. Their thoughts often manifest as pictures, emotions, and feelings. They may imagine what they want, retrieve memories through visual images, or connect ideas via sensations rather than words. In fact, some Deaf adults who have experienced this describe their early inner world as “like a silent movie.”

2. Those with early sign language exposure

When a Deaf child has access to a natural sign language from birth or early childhood, their thoughts are structured in sign language. They “see” themselves signing in their minds, sometimes with full facial expressions, movements, and even role-shifts. This inner signing is just as real as inner speech for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. Many describe it as watching themselves sign on an invisible screen in their mind’s eye. For them, thought flows in a visual-spatial form, rich and expressive.

3. Bilingual Deaf persons

Some Deaf persons are exposed to both sign language and written or spoken language. In such cases, their thinking becomes more flexible. They might imagine themselves signing when preparing for a conversation with Deaf peers, but then switch to visualized English words (or another written language) when writing an essay or email. It is common for them to blend both signs, words, and images, allowing them to flow together depending on the task or audience.

4. The broader point

These variations remind us of an important truth: thinking does not rely on sound. Whether it’s in sign, images, words, or a combination, Deaf people think as deeply and richly as anyone else. Their inner worlds are simply shaped by the languages and communication methods available to them.

Reflection

So, in which language do persons born Deaf think? The answer is: it depends. Some think in pictures, some in sign language, some in written words, and some in a mixture of these. What matters most is not the form of thought, but whether Deaf children have early and full access to language. Because language, whether signed or spoken, is the key that unlocks not only communication, but also imagination, reasoning, and dreams.

That is my brief reflection. Someone out there could take this further, perhaps through deeper research, narratives, or comparative studies. But I hope this sparks curiosity, and maybe the next time you wonder how someone thinks, you will remember: thought is universal, even if its “language” looks different.