Irish Deaf Society Logo

English-ISL Dictionary

The Irish Deaf Society are proud to launch the first phase of our ambitious English-ISL dictionary. You may have seen other dictionaries and glossaries related to sign languages before, but not like this one! For many years we have been aware that there is no resource that explains English words in Irish Sign Language.

We don't mean providing a sign for an English word, or explaining how you would sign a word if a formal sign does not exist, we mean explaining what an English word means through Irish Sign Language. This is the same as an English-French dictionary, or an English-French dictionary but with explanations in Irish Sign language.

We are the first in Ireland to produce this type of dictionary. There are very few like it in the world, we found only three in other European countries.

This first stage is launching with a glossary focussed on ISL explanations of English language employment words, this initial project has been funded by Rethink Ireland.

This first stage is launching with a glossary focussed on ISL explanations of English language employment words, this initial project has been funded by Rethink Ireland.In the coming years we will build on this stage and add more and more specialist glossaries explaining other English language words. We also invite you and your organisation to contribute and help us explain the same number of words that are in the Oxford Dictionary - that's 180,000! Contact us to find out more and how your glossary project could be added to the Irish Deaf Society English-ISL dictionary.

Hearing people have access to dictionaries explaining words from a second language in their own preferred language, this has never existed for Deaf people before. This is the start of an exciting project that will support English language literacy and comprehension for the Irish Deaf community. Not only that, it will empower Deaf people to take part in the community on an equal basis.

We will expand and add to this dictionary in the coming years and work towards a complete dictionary and a brilliant resource for Deaf people in Ireland. Support this project, you are welcome to join us and make this dream a reality.

Read more

Employment words explained in Irish Sign Language (ISL)

We are launching the first stage of our dictionary with a glossary of English words about employment. Scroll down the page to see videos under each letter of the alphabet. In the coming years we will add more and more glossaries until we have a full dictionary for the English language.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

A

Example "A" word - "agency work"

Click links for more ISL explanations of "A" words:

agency work , agenda , annual leave , applicant , apprentice , apprenticeship , aptitude test , assistant , assistive technology , attachment

Back to Top

B

Example "B" word - "briefing"

Click links for more ISL explanations of "B" words:

bereavement leave , board of directors , bonus , briefing , budget , bullying

Back to Top

C

Example "C" word - "constructive dismissal"

Click links for more ISL explanations of "C" words:

candidate , career , chief executive officer (CEO) , collaborate , colleague , conference , conflict resolution , constructive dismissal , contract of employment , cooperation , cover letter , curriculum vitae (CV)

Back to Top

D

Example "D" word - "disciplinary procedure"

Click links for more ISL explanations of "D" words:

database , deadline , deductions , director , disciplinary procedure , discussion , dismissal , document

Back to Top

E

Example "E" word - "employee recognition"

Click links for more ISL explanations of "E" words:

employed , employee , employee assistance programme (eap) , employee handbook , employee recognition , employer , employment , employment (job) reference , employment equality act , equal opportunities , ergonomics , evaluation , exit interview

Back to Top

F

Example "F" word - "fixed-term contract"

Click links for more ISL explanations of "F" words:

feedback , fixed-term contract , follow up , freelance , full-time employment

Back to Top

G

Example "G" word - "grievance procedure"

Click links for more ISL explanations of "G" words:

garda vetting , goal setting , grievance procedure , gross misconduct , gross pay

Back to Top

H

Example "H" word - "hybrid working"

Click links for more ISL explanations of "H" words:

harrassment , human resources (HR) , hybrid working

Back to Top

I

Example "I" word - "induction"

Click links for more ISL explanations of "I" words:

induction , internship , interview , invoice

Back to Top

J

Example "J" word - "job sharing"

Click links for more ISL explanations of "J" words:

job advertisement , job description , job offer , job recruitment , job sharing

Back to Top

K

Our launch employment glossary does not have any "K" words.

L

Example "L" word - "lay off"

Click links for more ISL explanations of "L" words:

lay off

Back to Top

M

Example "M" word - "milestone"

Click links for more ISL explanations of "M" words:

manager , maternity leave , meeting minutes , memo , mentor , milestone , minimum wage , misconduct

Back to Top

N

Example "N" word - "non-disclosure agreement"

Click links for more ISL explanations of "N" words:

national employment rights authority , net pay , networking , non-disclosure agreement , notice

Back to Top

O

Example "O" word - "onboarding"

Click links for more ISL explanations of "O" words:

objective , occupational health , onboarding , orientation , overtime

Back to Top

P

Example "P" word - "probation"

Click links for more ISL explanations of "P" words:

part-time employment , paternity leave , pay increment , pay slip , pension scheme , permanent contract , policy , presentation , pro rata , probation , problem solving , promotion , protocol , public holiday , punctuality

Back to Top

Q

Our launch employment glossary does not have any "Q" words.

R

Example "R" word - "reasonable accommodation"

Click links for more ISL explanations of "R" words:

reach out , reasonable accommodation , recruitment process , redundancy , reference check , remote working , report , resignation , resources , retirement , rota

Back to Top

S

Example "S" word - "screening"

Click links for more ISL explanations of "S" words:

salary , scope , screening , self employed , seminar , severance package , sexual harassment , shift work , sick leave , staff , stakeholder , supervisor

Back to Top

T

Example "T" word - "tardiness"

Click links for more ISL explanations of "T" words:

talent acquisition team , tardiness , task , team work , temporary contract , termination , trade union , training

Back to Top

U

Example "U" word - "unfair dismissal"

Click links for more ISL explanations of "U" words:

unemployed , unemployment , unfair dismissal , unpaid leave

Back to Top

V

>

Example "V" word - "voluntary redundancy"

Click links for more ISL explanations of "V" words:

voluntary redundancy , volunteer work

Back to Top

W

Example "W" word - "workplace culture"

Click links for more ISL explanations of "W" words:

work performance review , work-life balance , workplace culture , workplace relations commission , workplace wellbeing

Back to Top

X

Our launch employment glossary does not have any "X" words.

Y

Our launch employment glossary does not have any "Y" words.

Z

Our launch employment glossary does not have any "Z" words.