Isyarat

Isyarat is a term used in several languages to denote sign, signal, indication, or gesture. In Malay and Indonesian, isyarat commonly refers to a sign or cue and is used in phrases such as bahasa isyarat (sign language) and isyarat tangan (hand gesture). In Arabic, the root isharah (إشارة) means a sign or indication, and related terms appear in Persian as ishārāt and in Turkish as işaret. The word’s cross‑lingual reach reflects a shared concept of pointing to or signaling something without words.

Usage and meanings vary by language, but broadly isyarat covers nonverbal signals, such as gestures or facial expressions, as well as indirect hints or cues within communication. It can describe practical signals in everyday interaction—someone giving a discreet isyarat to indicate approval, warning, or instruction without speaking—and, in more formal contexts, indicators or signals produced by systems, devices, or processes. In sign languages, bahasa isyarat is the term used to describe a complete visual-gestural language with its own grammar, rather than a manual code for spoken languages.

Cognates and related terms highlight the same underlying idea across languages: a sign that points to meaning beyond explicit words. Variants include ishārāt in Urdu and Persian, and işaret in Turkish, all sharing the core notion of signaling or indicating something to another person. The concept remains central to communication, whether verbal, nonverbal, or symbolic.