3 Recognise and distinguish facts and opinions in sustained presentations

Understanding Facts and Opinions

Recognise the difference between facts and opinions. A fact is a statement that can be proven true or false; an opinion is a personal view, which cannot be proven but reflects a person’s feelings or thoughts.
Become aware of signs that suggest a statement is an opinion. These may be subjective words like ‘think’, ‘believe’, ‘feel’ or others that express personal sentiment.
Determine facts within a presentation by watching for objective, evidence-based signing without express emotion or subjectivity.
Understand that factual signing often uses technical sign language and lacks the personal sentiments typically found in opinion-based signing.

Distinguishing Facts from Opinions in Presentations

Pay attention to contextual cues to identify when a fact is being presented. These cues may be introductory phrases or changes in the signer’s non-verbal communication.
Note the contrast between presenting facts and expressing opinions. Opinions are often openly acknowledged by the presenter, whereas facts are stated without qualifiers.
Be aware of the presenter’s use of sign intensity. This could involve changes in signing pace, the exaggeration of movements or changes in facial expressions, all of which might denote opinion segments.

Fact and Opinion Practice

Engage in practice exercises where you try to separate facts from opinions while watching or participating in sign language conversations to improve your distinguishing skills.
Remember that recognising and distinguishing between facts and opinions is a crucial skill in both comprehension and production of British Sign Language.
Practice your factual and opinion expression differentiation in everyday conversations in British Sign Language to ensure you’re able to utilise the skill in more formal or pressured situations.

A clear understanding of the difference between facts and opinions, and the ability to distinguish these in presentations, contributes greatly to the comprehension of the signer’s intention, the overall message, and the intended audience reaction or response.