Real programmers use sign language
This was filmed without their knowledge and they were having a discussion
I know its not real sign language, but its interesting and not surprising that hearing people use their hand to explain.Has anybody seen people who on the phone and their hands are flying about and they don’t realise they were doing it lol
LOL - and you see them actually watching each other as if they’re gonna miss something if they look away.
It looks funny but I see this all the time when there are complex problems at hand. The thing is that computer programmers and mathematicians and physicists (and probably others but I can only speak from experience) function by creating imaginary three dimensional structures which parallel the problem at hand, and then use their hands in space as if manipulating or feeling around those structures. This is also the reason why many computer programs are written in terms of stacks, queues, message busses, etc., as they can be visualized in real space.
Not only with programmers thinking in literal structures, but also other hearing people especially when giving directions.
I used to laugh at my mother (a classical diehard oral parent)who would give directions on the phone.
With no possibility of the other side seeing her, she points while talking, guides her hand around corners, hand goes up and down hills, and makes sharp turns and even parks. When she makes a mistake, her hand wipes it out of the air, oh, never mind! Her hand slams down, oh pshaw! Her shoulders shrug and her hands go to her sides–Oh what the hell!
I half expected her to start signing to me after hanging up…wishful thinking. On hanging up, her hands would go down and stay there.
I second what Dale said - programming language is a language that could be thought in 3D sense somewhat…I’ve worked with programmers and see them all signing (gesturing would be correct) heavily when talking about it.
Most of them picked up my signing and used it themselves rapidly too (and one or two have gone on to learn BSL…although not me for but because they think it helps them to think better when programming!!)
I know that my sign class has helped me become more expressive overall. I have to work at showing emotion and moving my hands while I talk, but since ASL1 started, I am using my hands and face more while communicating.
I worked in customer services for a while and we would all be describing products with our hands whilst talking to someone over the phone!
It’s quite funny to watch but I think it almost helps the person to understand the problem in their own head.