Korean Sign Language

Deaf sign language of South Korea

Korean Sign Language

Native to| South Korea

Native speakers

| 180,000 (2008)[1]

Language family

Japanese Sign?

* Korean Sign Language

Language codes
ISO 639-2| `sgn`
ISO 639-3| `kvk`
Glottolog| `kore1273`
Korean Sign Language

Hangul|

한국 수화 언어

Hanja|

韓國手話言語

RR| Hanguk suhwa eoneo
MR| Han'guk suhwa ŏnŏ
Short name
Hangul|

한국 수어

Hanja|

韓國手語

RR| Hanguk sueo
MR| Han'guk suŏ

Korean Sign Language or KSL (Korean: 한국 수화 언어 or short name 한국 수어) is a sign language used for deaf communities of South Korea. It is one of two official languages in the country, alongside Korean.

## Beginnings

[edit]

The beginnings of KSL date from 1889,[2] although standardization efforts have only begun in 2000.[3] The first South Korean school for the Deaf was established on April 1, 1913, in Seoul, and it was renamed as the National School for the Deaf in 1945, to be later renamed the Seoul School for the Deaf in 1951.[4]

## Commonality

[edit]

Although the origins of KSL predate the Japanese colonial period (de jure beginning 1910), the sign language developed some features in common with Japanese Sign Language (JSL) grammar when Korea was under Japanese rule.[2] KSL is considered part of the Japanese Sign Language family.[5]

## Users

[edit]

Main article: Deafness in South Korea

According to the South Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare, there were 252,779 people with hearing impairment and 18,275 people with language disorders in South Korea as of late 2014.[6] Recent estimated figures for the number of Deaf people in South Korea range from 180,000 to 300,000.[7] This is approximately 0.36%–0.6% of the population of South Korea.

## Official status

[edit]

On 31 December 2015, the South Korean National Assembly passed Legislation to recognize Korean Sign Language as one of Korea's official languages.[8] There were two bills and two policies passed under this legislation which were "Korean Sign Language Standard Policy", "Sign Language Bill", "Korean Sign Language Bill" and "Sign Language and Deaf Culture Standard Policy", which were then merged as The Fundamental Law of Korean Sign Language.[9] The legislation opens the way for better access and improved communication in education, employment, medical and legal settings, as well as religious and cultural practices.[8] Proposals within the legislation consisted of the national and regional policy and the enactment for education of Korean Sign Language which promotes and distributes the information for creating a better environment to use Korean Sign Language. Furthermore, the Korean Sign Language Improvement Planning needs to be conducted every five years and research and investigation of the use of Korean Sign Language for the Deaf need to be conducted every three years.[9]

KSL gestures are evaluated using three usability criteria: Intuitiveness, preference, and physical stress. Intuitiveness is the link between the gesture itself and its meaning. Preference is how liked, or disliked, the gesture is when presented. Physical stress refers to how much strain the gesture puts on the body to perform. The ideal gesture is one that has a clear link to its meaning, is well liked as a physical expression, and does not cause unnecessary stress to present.[10]

A study was performed in 2013 to test the Korean Sign Language gestures under the three criteria. This study found that user-designed gestures would often perform better than official KSL gestures in the areas of preference and physical stress. The study also showed that there was a strong link between a gesture’s intuitiveness and the preference of the user. A weaker link was shown between preference and physical stress, making intuitiveness a strong evaluation point in KSL. This study showed the weaknesses in the current KSL format compared to the strengths of user-designed gestures.[10]

The study performed by Korea Institute of Science and Technology in 2013 found, “Compared with other modalities of interaction, the use of gestures has many advantages,” (Woojin 2013). These advantages include: gestures are basic form of interaction, next to speech. Gestures are able to convey a number of meanings, this is present through other sign languages such as American Sign Language. KSL has military uses such as a method of communication when voice based and keyboard and mouse-based interaction is not possible. Commanders give hand signals to other members to convey messages to one another without alerting nearby forces. KSL also is used in hospital settings within the operating rooms. Gestures are used to communicate in environments where the need for sanitation prevent other forms of communication. The gestures encourage the breaking up of information. Each gesture has one meaning, easing the burden of human-computer interaction. Gestures are easily used with other methods, such as vocal communication. This is seen in other sign languages through mouthing out the word of each gesture. Using hands in order to communicate through gestures reduces physical stress by using simple gestures that put little strain on the arms and hands.[10]

The Korean Sign Language is managed and catalogued by the National Institute of the Korean Language (NIKL), which is a government agency tasked with providing authoritative commentary on Korean language in general. The NIKL, along with the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, has worked to standardize KSL starting in 2000, publishing the first official KSL dictionary in 2005, as well as a common phrasebook by 2012.[3] However, the current resources for KSL produced by the government have been criticized for not representing the language used by native signers due to a lack of inclusion from them and being based on artificial translation from spoken Korean. Reportedly, the quality of KSL interpretation as used in the public sphere is poor, with "far lower than 50 percent" of the intended message being understood by Deaf people in standard media interpretations. The officially sanctioned signs for LGBT concepts have been particularly disparaged for being stigmatizing and overly sexualized, and an advocacy group named Korean Deaf LGBT was formed in 2019 to find and create alternative and new signs, which were first disseminated in 2021 and have gained significant usage among Deaf LGBT communities, allies and human rights groups.[11][12]

### Korean Sign Language Act

[edit]

The Korean Sign Language Act (한국수화언어법; 韓國手話言語法; Hanguk Suhwa Eoneo Beop), which was adopted on 3 February 2016 and came into effect on 4 August 2016, established Korean Sign Language as an official language for the Deaf in South Korea equal in status with Korean. The law also stipulates that the national and local governments are required to provide translation services in Korean Sign Language to Deaf individuals who need them. After Korean Sign Language had been established, it became a requirement for there to be signed interpretations in court. KSL is also used during public events and social services programs. South Korea offers sign language courses for hearing. Special sign language instruction courses are available for parents with deaf children.[13][14]

## Functional markers

[edit]

KSL, like other sign languages, incorporates nonmanual markers with lexical, syntactic, discourse, and affective functions. These include brow raising and furrowing, frowning, head shaking and nodding, and leaning and shifting the torso.[15]

## See also

[edit]

* Korean manual alphabet

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Korean Sign Language at Ethnologue (25th ed., 2022)
2. ^ a b Fischer, Susan et al. (2010). "Variation in East Asian Sign Language Structures" in Sign Languages, p. 501 at Google Books
3. ^ a b Lee, Hyun Hwa (February 2017). "한국수어 정비 사업" (PDF). 국립국어원.
4. ^ "서울맹학교 학교역사". Seoul School for the Deaf. Archived from the original on 13 November 2019. Retrieved 5 September 2017.
5. ^ Fischer, p. 499 at Google Books
6. ^ Cited in "「한국수화언어법」 국회 통과로 27만여 농인 언어권 보장", the press release for the Korean Sign Language Act from the South Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, 4 January 2016
7. ^ "South Korea - AASL". aasl.aacore.jp. Archived from the original on 2 November 2013. Retrieved 22 December 2018.
8. ^ a b "Two Sign Languages Given Official Language Status". SIL International. 23 February 2016.
9. ^ a b Choi, Taeyoon (3 January 2016). "Korean Sign Language is an official language in South Korea, finally". Medium.
10. ^ a b c Park, Woojin (2013). "Utilizing Sign Language Gestures For Gesture-Based Interaction: A Usability Evaluation Study". International Journal of Industrial Engineering.
11. ^ Lee Hae-rin (24 September 2022). "Korean deaf LGBT activists create new signs to express identities with pride". The Korea Times. Retrieved 24 September 2022.
12. ^ 유, 정인 (24 April 2021). "[커버스토리]농인성소수자들, 혐오 지우고 자긍심 담은 새 수어를 짓다". Kyunghyang Shinmun. Retrieved 24 September 2022.
13. ^ Frawley, William (2003). "Sign Language". International Encyclopedia of Linguistics.
14. ^ The original text of the legislation in Korean can be viewed here.
15. ^ Fischer, p. 507 at Google Books

## Korea call help deaf with

[edit]

How to read: 10 (1): 34-22 means volume 10, issue 1, page 34 to 22.

* Brentari, Diane (2010). Sign Languages. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521883702. OCLC 428024472.
* Wittmann, Henri (1991). "Classification linguistique des langues signées non vocalement" (PDF). Revue québécoise de linguistique théorique et appliquée. 10 (1): 215–288.
* Minseok, S.; Park, Woojin; Jang, Jaemoon; Han, Dongwook; Park, Jungmin (2013). "Utilizing Sign Language Gestures for Gesture-based Interaction: A Usability Evaluation Study". International Journal of Industrial Engineering. 20 (9/10): 548–561.
* Kendon, A.; Sandler, W.; Grimes, B. (2003). "Sign Language". International Encyclopedia of Linguistics. Oxford University Press.
* Jhang, S. (2009). "Notes on Korean Sign Language". In Li, P.; Lee, C.; Simpson, G.; Kim, Y. (eds.). The Handbook of East Asian Psycholinguistics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 361–376.

## External links

[edit]

* Korean Sign Language Dictionary Archived 29 January 2013 at the Wayback Machine (in Korean)

* v
* t
* e

Sign language

* List of sign languages
* List by number of signers

Language
families[a]|

Sign languages by family

Australian
Aboriginal
(multiple families)[c]|

* Diyari
* Djingili
* Eltye eltyarrenke
* Iltyeme iltyeme
* Jaralde
* Kalkutungu
* Miriwoong
* Mudburra
* Pitha Pitha
* Rdaka rdaka
* Umpila
* Far North Queensland
* Warlmanpa
* Warluwara
* Warramunga
* Worora Kinship
* Yan-nhaŋu
* Yir Yoront
* Yolŋu

| Western Desert|

* Kartutjarra
* Manjiljarra
* Ngaatjatjarra

|

Zendath Kesign|

* Meriam
* Western Torres Strait Islander

Arab (Ishaaric)|

* Egyptian
* Kuwaiti
* Libyan
* Qatari Unified
* Yemeni

Iraqi–
Levantine|

* Iraqi

Levantine|

* Jordanian
* Lebanese
* Palestinian
* Syrian

Possible|

* Emirati
* Saudi
* Omani

Chinese Sign|

* Chinese (CSL/ZGS)
* Shanghai
* Hong Kong (HKSL)
* Macau

Chilean-Paraguayan-
Uruguayan Sign|

* Chilean (LSCh)

Paraguayan-
Uruguayan Sign|

* Paraguay (LSPY)
* Uruguay (LSU)

Francosign|

* Algerian (LSA)
* Swiss-German (DSGS)
* Estonian (Eesti viipekeel)
* Irish (ISL)
* Australian-Irish
* Brazilian (Libras)
* Lithuanian
* Catalan (LSC)
* Valencian (LSV)
* French (LSF)
* Old French[c]
* Romanian (LSR)

American
(ASLic)|

* American (ASL)
* Black ASL (BASL)
* Protactile
* Bolivian
* Burmese
* Yangon
* Mandalay
* Cambodian
* Costa Rican
* Dominican
* Guyanese
* Jamaican
* Malaysian (BIM)
* Panamanian
* Filipino (FSL)
* Puerto Rican (PRSL)
* Singapore (SgSL)

Indonesian (Nusantaric)|

* Indonesian (Bisindo)
* Jakarta
* Yogyakarta

Francophone African
(Françafrosign)|

* Ethiopian
* Chadian
* Ghanaian
* Guinean
* Bamako (LaSiMa)
* Moroccan
* Nigerian
* Sierra Leonean

Mixed, Hand Talk|

* Oneida (OSL)

Mixed, Hoailona ʻŌlelo|

* Creole Hawaiʻi Sign Language (CHSL)

Mixed, French (LSF)|

* Greek (ΕΝΓ/ENG)
* Cypriot (ΚΝΓ/KNG)
* Quebec (LSQ)

Austro-
Hungarian|

* Czech (ČZJ)
* Hungarian (Magyar Jelnyev)
* Austrian (ÖGS)
* Slovak (SPJ)
* Ukrainian (УЖМ/USL)

Russian Sign|

* Azerbaijani (AİD)
* Bulgarian (БЖЕ)
* Georgian
* Kazakh-Russian (KSL/KRSL)
* Latvian (LSL)
* Mongolian
* Russian (РЖЯ)

Yugoslavic Sign|

* Croatian (HZJ)
* Kosovar
* Serbian
* Slovenian
* Yugoslav (YSL)

Dutch Sign|

* Dutch (NGT)
* Gambian

Italian Sign|

* Italian (LIS)
* Tunisian (TSL)

Mexican Sign|

* Mexican (LSM)
* Honduran (LESHO)

Old Belgian|

* Flemish (VGT)
* French Belgian (LSFB)

Danish (Tegnic)|

* Malagasy
* Icelandic (Táknmál)
* Norwegian (Tegnspråk)
* Danish (Tegnsprog)
* Faroese (Teknmál)

Viet-Thai|

* Hai Phong
* Hanoi
* Ho Chi Minh
* Thai (TSL/MSTSL)

Hand Talk|

* Great Basin
* Northeast
* Plains Sign Talk
* Southeast
* Southwest

Mixed, American (ASL)|

* Oneida (OSL)

Plateau|

* A'aninin
* Kalispel
* Ktunaxa (ʾa·qanⱡiⱡⱡitnam)
* Nesilextcl'n
* Shuswap (Secwepemcékst)
* Sqeliz

Indo-Pakistani
Sign|

* Bangalore-Madras
* Beluchistan
* Bengali
* Bombay
* Calcutta
* Delhi
* Nepali
* North West Frontier Province
* Punjab-Sindh

Japanese Sign|

* Japanese (JSL/Nihon Shuwa)
* Korean (KSL/Hanguk Sueo)
* Taiwanese (TSL/Taiwan Shouyu)

Kentish[c]|

* Old Kentish
* Chilmark
* Martha's Vineyard (MVSL)

Maya (Meemul Tziij /
Meemul Ch'aab'al)|

* Highland Maya
* Yucatec
* Chicán
* Nohkop
* Nohya
* Trascorral
* Cepeda Peraza

NW Eurosign|

| BANZSL|

* Auslan
* Papua New Guinean (PNGSL)
* British (BSL)
* Northern Ireland (NISL)
* Fijian
* Maritime (MSL)
* New Zealand (NZSL)
* Samoan
* South African (SASL)

Swedish Sign|

* Eritrean (EriSL)
* Finland-Swedish (FinSSL)
* Portuguese (LGP)
* Cape Verdian (LGC)
* São Tomé and Príncipean (LGSTP)
* Swedish (Teckenspråk)
* Finnish (Viittomakieli)

German Sign|

* German (DGS)
* Polish (PJM)
* Israeli (Shassi)

Original Thai Sign|

* Chiangmai
* Hai Phong
* Old Bangkok

Paget Gorman|

* Namibian (NSL)

Providencia–
Cayman Sign|

* Providence Island (Provisle)
* Old Cayman (Guyanese)

Isolates|

* Afghan
* Al-Sayyid Bedouin (ABSL)
* Albanian (AlbSL)
* Albarradas Sign Language
* Alipur
* Argentine (LSA)
* Armenian
* Caucasian (Harsneren)[c]
* Bay Islands
* Belizean
* Berbey
* Bhutanese
* Bouakako (LaSiBo)
* Bribri
* Brunca
* Bura
* Carhuahuaran
* Cena
* Central Taurus (CTSL/OTİD)
* Chatino
* Chiriqui
* Cuban (LSC)
* Dogon/Douentza
* Ecuadorian (LSEC)
* Enga
* Ghandruk
* Ghardaia (AJSL)
* Guatemalan (Lensegua)
* Guinea-Bissau
* Henniker[c]
* Hausa (HSL/Magannar Hannu)
* Hawaiʻi (Hoailona ʻŌlelo)
* Creole HSL
* Inuit
* Inuit Uukturausingit (IUR)
* Greenlandic (Ussersuataarneq)
* Jhankot
* Jumla
* Ka'apor
* Kajana
* Kafr Qasim
* Kailge
* Kata Kolok
* Kenyan (KSL/LAK)
* Somali (SSL)
* Keresan Pueblo (KPISL/Keresign)
* Kisindo
* Jamaican Country (KS/Konchri Sain)
* Macedonian
* Malawian
* Maltese (LSM)
* Mardin
* Maroua
* Maunabudhuk–Bodhe
* Mauritian (MSL)
* M'bour
* Mehek
* Miyakubo Shuwa
* Burkina (Mossi)
* Mount Avejaha
* Mozambican
* Naga
* Navajo/Diné Family
* Nicaraguan (ISN)
* Old Costa Rican
* Orocovis (LSOR)
* Ottoman (Seraglio/Harem)
* Ban Khor (Pasa kidd)
* Penang
* Persian (Esharani)
* Peruvian (LSP)
* Inmaculada
* Qahveh Khaneh
* Rennellese[c]
* Rossel Island
* Rwandan (AKR/AMR)
* Sandy River Valley[c]
* Salvadoran (LESSA)
* Sawmill
* Sinasina (SSSL)
* Sivia
* South Rupununi
* Spanish (LSE)
* Tebul
* Terena
* Tibetan (Bökyi lagda)
* Trinidad and Tobago (TTSL)
* Turkish (TİD)
* Ugandan (USL)
* Venezuelan (LSV/VSL)
* Wanib
* West African
* Adamorobe (AdaSL/Mumu kasa)
* Bura (Burasl)
* Mofu-Gudur
* Nanabin (NanabinSL)
* Yoruban (YSL)
* Zambian (ZSL)

Other groupings|

* Amami Shuwa languages
* Ethiopian languages
* Laotian languages
* Rwandan languages
* Sri Lankan languages
* Sudanese languages (~150)[b]
* Tanzanian languages (7+)[b]
* Zimsign languages

* International Sign
* Village languages

By region[a]|

Sign languages by region

Africa|

Algeria
Algerian
Ghardaia
Cameroon
Maroua
Cape Verde
Cape Verdian (LGC)
Ghana
Adamorobe (AdaSL / Mumu kasa)
Nanabin
Ivory Coast
Bouakako (LaSiBo)
Kenya
Kenyan
Malawi
Malawian
Mali
Bamako (LaSiMa)
Berbey
Tebul
Mozambique
Mozambican
Nigeria
Bura
Hausa (Magannar Hannu)
Rwanda
Rwandan (Amarenga)
São Tomé and Príncipe
São Tomé and Príncipean (LGSTP)
Senegal
Mbour
Somalia, Somaliland & Djibouti
Somali
South Africa
South African
Tanzania
Tanzanian
Uganda
Ugandan
Zambia
Zambian

Asia|

Bengal
Bengali
Cambodia
Cambodian
China
Chinese
Hong Kong
Hong Kong (HKSL)
India
Alipur
Bengali
Indo-Pakistani
Naga
Indonesia
Indonesian
Kata Kolok (Benkala, Balinese)
Iran
Iranian (Esharani)
Qahveh Khaneh
Iraq
Iraqi
Kurdish
Israel
Al-Sayyid Bedouin
Ghardaia
Israeli
Kafr Qasem
Japan
Japanese
Koniya
Miyakubo
Korea
Korean
Kazakhstan
Kazakh-Russian
Laos
Laotian
Malaysia
Malaysian
Penang
Selangor
Maldives
Maldives
Mongolia
Mongolian
Nepal
Ghandruk
Jhankot
Jumla
Maunabudhuk–Bodhe
Nepalese
Philippines
Filipino
Saudi Arabia
Saudi
Singapore
Singapore
Sri Lanka
Sri Lankan
Taiwan
Taiwanese
Tajikistan
Russian
Tibet
Tibetan (Bökyi lagda)
Thailand
Old Bangkok
Chiangmai
Thai
Ban Khor (Pasa kidd)
Vietnam
Vietnamese

Europe|

Armenia
Armenian
Austria
Austrian
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijani
Belgium
Flemish
French Belgian
United Kingdom
British
Croatia
Croatian
Denmark
Danish
Faroese (Teknmál)
Estonia
Estonian
Finland
Finnish
France
Ghardaia
French
Lyons
Georgia
Georgian
Germany
German
Greece
Greek
Hungary
Hungarian
Iceland
Icelandic
Ireland
Irish
Italy
Italian
Kosovo
Yugoslav (Kosovar)
Latvia
Latvian
Lithuania
Lithuanian
Moldova
Russian
Netherlands
Dutch
North Macedonia
Macedonian
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Norway
Norwegian
Poland
Polish
Portugal
Portuguese
Russia
Russian
Slovenia
Slovenian
Spain
Catalan
Spanish
Valencian
Sweden
Swedish
Switzerland
Swiss-German
Turkey
Central Taurus (CTSL/OTİD)
Mardin
Turkish
Ukraine
Ukrainian

North and
Central
America|

Belize
Belizean
Canada
American (ASL)

Black ASL
Protactile
Hand Talk

Oneida (OSL)
Plateau
Inuit (IUR)
Maritime (MSL)
Sawmill
Quebec
Cayman
Old Cayman
Costa Rica
Bribri
Brunca
Old Costa Rican
New Costa Rican
Cuba
Cuban
Greenland
Greenlandic (Ussersuataarneq)
Guatemala
Guatemalan
Mayan
Haiti
Haitian
Honduras
Bay Islands
Honduran
Mexico
Albarradas
Chatino
Mayan
Mexican
Nicaragua
Nicaraguan
Panama
Chiriqui
Panamanian
Puerto Rico (USA)
American (ASL)

Puerto Rican
Orocovis
El Salvador
Salvadoran (LESSO)
Old Salvadoran
United States
American (ASL)

Black ASL
Protactile
Hand Talk

Oneida (OSL)
Plateau
Henniker
Keresan (Keresign)
Martha's Vineyard
Navajo Family
Sandy River Valley
Sawmill

Oceania|

Australia
Akitiri (Eltye eltyarrenke)
Arrernte (Iltyeme iltyeme)
Auslan
Australian-Irish
Manjiljarra
Mudbura (Mudburra)
Ngada
Umpila

Far North Queensland
Warlmanpa
Warlpiri (Rdaka rdaka)
Warumungu (Warramunga)
Western Desert
Western Torres Strait Islander
Yir Yoront
Yolŋu
Hawaii (USA)
Hawaiʻan (Haoilona ʻŌlelo)
New Zealand
New Zealand (NZSL)
Papua New Guinea
Enga
Kailge
Mehek
Mount Avejaha
Papua New Guinean (PNGSL)
Rossel Island
Sinasina
Wanib
Samoa and American Samoa
Samoan

South America|

Argentina
Argentine (LSA)
Bolivia
Bolivian
Brazil
Brazilian (Libras)
Cena
Ka'apor
South Rupununi
Terena
Chile
Chilean
Colombia
Colombian
Provisle
Ecuador
Ecuadorian
Guyana
Guyanese
South Rupununi
Paraguay
Paraguayan
Peru
Carhuahuaran
Inmaculada
Peruvian
Sivia
Suriname
Kajana
Uruguay
Uruguayan
Venezuela
Venezuelan

International|

* International Sign
* Makaton
* Monastic
* Signalong

ASL|

* Grammar
* Idioms
* Literature
* Profanity
* Name signs

Extinct
languages|

* Chilmark
* Diyari
* Jaralde
* Kalkutungu
* Henniker Sign Language
* Martha's Vineyard
* Old French
* Old Kent
* Plateau Sign Language
* Pitha Pitha
* Sandy River Valley Sign Language
* Warluwara

Linguistics|

* Grammar (ASL)
* Bimodal bilingualism
* Phonology (ASL)
* Handshape / Location / Orientation / Movement / Expression
* Mouthing
* Nonmanual feature
* Sign names
* Home sign

Fingerspelling|

* American
* British (two-handed)
* Catalan
* Chilean
* Esperanto
* French
* German
* Hungarian
* Irish
* Japanese
* Korean
* Polish
* Russian
* Serbo-Croatian
* Spanish
* Ukrainian
* Portuguese

Writing|

* ASL-phabet
* Hamburg Notation System
* Stokoe notation
* SignWriting
* si5s
* ASLwrite ()

Language
contact|

* Contact sign
* Initialized sign
* Mouthing

Signed Oral
Languages|

* Indian Signing System
* Manually coded English
* Manually coded language in South Africa
* Manually Coded Malay
* Paget Gorman Sign System
* Signed Dutch
* Signed French
* Signed German
* Signed Italian
* Signed Japanese
* Signed Polish
* Signed Spanish
* Signing Exact English
* Signed Swedish

Others|

* Bilingual–bicultural education
* Manually coded language

Media|

* Films (list)
* Television shows (list)

Persons|

* Jabbar Baghtcheban
* Jeanette Berglind
* Pär Aron Borg
* Thomas Braidwood
* Laurent Clerc
* Abbé de l'Épée
* Roger Fouts
* Valerie Sutton
* Thomas Gallaudet
* Abbé Sicard
* William Stokoe
* Pierre Pélissier

Organisations|

* Association of Visual Language Interpreters of Canada
* International Center on Deafness and the Arts
* Mimics and Gesture Theatre
* World Association of Sign Language Interpreters

Miscellaneous|

* Baby sign language
* CHCI chimpanzee center (Washoe, Loulis)
* Open Outcry
* Legal recognition
* U.S. Army hand and arm signals
* Monastic sign languages
* Tactile signing
* Protactile
* Tic-tac

^a Sign-language names reflect the region of origin. Natural sign languages are not related to the spoken language used in the same region. For example, French Sign Language originated in France, but is not related to French. Conversely, ASL and BSL both originated in English-speaking countries but are not related to each other; ASL however is related to French Sign Language.

^b Denotes the number (if known) of languages within the family. No further information is given on these languages.

^c Italics indicate extinct languages.

Authority control databases: National |

* Germany

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