Singapore Sign Language

Sign Language used in Singapore

Singapore Sign Language

Native to| Singapore
Signers| 6,000[citation needed] (2021)
Number includes both pidgin signed English and "natural sign language"

Language family

French Sign

* American Sign
* Singapore Sign Language

Language codes
ISO 639-3| `sls`
Glottolog| `sing1237`

Singapore Sign Language, or SgSL, is the native sign language used by the deaf and hard of hearing in Singapore, developed over six decades since the setting up of the first school for the Deaf in 1954.[1] Since Singapore's independence in 1965, the Singapore deaf community has had to adapt to many linguistic changes. Today, the local deaf community recognises Singapore Sign Language (SgSL) as a reflection of Singapore's diverse culture. SgSL is influenced by Shanghainese Sign Language (SSL), American Sign Language (ASL), Signing Exact English (SEE-II) and locally developed signs.

The total number of deaf clients registered with The Singapore Association For The Deaf (SADeaf), an organisation that advocates equal opportunity for the deaf, is 5,756, as of 2014. Among which, only about one-third stated their knowledge of Sign Language.

## History of sign language in Singapore

[edit]

### 1950s - Beginnings

[edit]

The history of sign language in Singapore can be traced back to 1951 when pioneer deaf educator Peng Tsu Ying left China for Singapore to teach deaf children in their homes. Born in Shanghai, Peng became deaf at the age of 6, and was educated in Hong Kong School for the Deaf (now known as Chun Tok School) and Shanghai Chung Wah School for the Deaf. With Peng's education background in Shanghainese Sign Language (SSL) and together with a group of Chinese merchants, the Singapore Chinese Sign School for the deaf was opened in March 1954. At that time, Singapore was predominantly Chinese and many diverse varieties were spoken.[2] Peng and his wife, also deaf, used SSL in the sign school to teach children to read in Chinese and other subjects at the primary level.

During the same period in the early 1950s, the Singapore Red Cross began conducting oral classes for deaf children and provided counselling services for parents of deaf children. As the demand for classes increased, the Singapore Red Cross Society and officials of the Social Welfare Department founded The Singapore Association For The Deaf (SADeaf) (then known as Singapore Deaf and Dumb Association) in 1955. It was in 1963 when the sign school and the oral school merged to become the Singapore School for the Deaf (SSD). Within the same premises, students in the oral section of the school were taught in English as the medium of instruction, while students in the signing section of the school were taught in Chinese, with SSL as the medium of instruction.[3]

### 1966 – Bilingual policy

[edit]

Main article: Language planning and policy in Singapore

The bilingual education policy, which came into effect in 1966, marked a linguistic transition for Singapore. The policy places English as the main medium of instruction.[4] Since English became the language of instruction in the education sector, parents could choose education through any one of the four official languages (Mandarin, Malay, Tamil) but all students also had to study English, in non-English-medium schools. The government then required all schools to teach Math and Science in English starting at primary one.[5]

This policy is significant to the local deaf community because it has marked a change in educating the deaf. Singapore, once under colonial rule, had been influenced by the British in learning English through the oral method. Furthermore, mainstream education in Singapore was moving towards English education and schools were beginning to switch to English as a medium of instruction. This posed a dilemma to the deaf community because the oral method was not suited to every student. While parents wanted their children to learn English, they have been learning SSL, which was associated with written Chinese.

### 1970s

[edit]

Lim Chin Heng, a former student under Peng, went to the United States of America (USA) to learn English and American Sign Language (ASL). While studying, Lim also got to know some of the professors and authors in USA who were developing a sign system to teach English specifically, called Signing Exact English (SEE-II). Lim became the first Singaporean to enter Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C, an American university for the deaf. He graduated in with a degree in Mathematics, returned to Singapore and introduced ASL to the deaf community by 1974.[3] Written English was known to be associated with ASL because ASL has seen the fewest generational breaks and was well-transmitted as compared to European counterparts.[citation needed] The international deaf community looked up to America as having a strong tradition in protecting their deaf and deaf rights. Hence, ASL was adopted to teach English as a medium of instruction to the deaf because it was seen as the best sign language to learn English.[citation needed]

In 1976, SADeaf invited Frances M. Parsons, then an associate professor at the Gallaudet University to promote Total Communication. Total Communication is a philosophy which uses signs, speech, gestures, speech reading, amplification, finger spelling, and/ or other mode of communication to provide linguistic input to deaf children.[6] In the same year, Lim also brought back SEE-II to the local deaf community.

By 1977, the Total Communication approach was fully implemented in SSD.[3] Lim also taught basic ASL classes for teachers and eventually ASL was taught to students in SSD.[7] By 1978, SEE-II was adopted as the mode of communication and instruction by SADeaf in its affiliated schools, in SSD and Vocational School for the Handicapped (now known as Mountbatten Vocational School). However, the sign section of SSD, which used SSL, was phased out in 1983 because there were gradually fewer parents who opted for a Chinese education for their deaf children.[3]

In 1985, SADeaf joined the World Federation of the Deaf.

### 2000s

[edit]

The term Singapore Sign Language (SgSL) was coined by Andrew Tay in 2008. Tay emphasised the importance of SgSL in the deaf community to help deaf people develop their self-esteem, self-confidence, cognitive power as well as recognise their deaf identity.[8]

In September 2017, the Singapore School for the Deaf shut down because enrollment had fallen from about 300 in the 1980s to 20 in the 2010s. Remaining students were transferred to Lighthouse School, a special education school for children who are visually or hearing impaired.[9]

From 2018, deaf students who use sign language to communicate attend Lighthouse School at the primary level before getting mainstreamed at the secondary level at Beatty Secondary School. Deaf students educated under the oral approach attend the Cannossian School at the primary level before getting mainstreamed at the secondary level at Outram Secondary School and St Anthony’s Canossian Secondary School.[10]

## Language and sign systems used in Singapore

[edit]

While Singapore does not have a national sign language, the local deaf community recognises Singapore Sign Language (SgSL) as Singapore's native sign language. This is because sign language in Singapore has developed over the last 6 decades since the setting up of the first school for local deaf in 1954. Hence, there is crucial need to preserve and maintain local signs invented by the deaf community in Singapore since the early 1950s.[11] Various sign languages have been adopted and used by the local deaf community as a result of linguistic changes. SgSL is influenced by Shanghainese Sign Language (SSL), American Sign Language (ASL), Signing Exact English (SEE-II) and locally developed signs.[3] It also comprises different types of systems, including SEE-II, Pidgin Signed English (PSE) and gestures.[11] Today, SgSL consists of the following language and sign systems:

### Language systems

[edit]

#### Shanghainese Sign Language (SSL)

[edit]

Main article: Chinese Sign Language

#### American Sign Language (ASL)

[edit]

Main article: American Sign Language

#### Pidgin Signed English (PSE)

[edit]

Main article: Pidgin Signed English

Pidgin Signed English (PSE) is a variety or style of language that arises from contact between natural sign language (in this case being SgSL) and the surrounding spoken language, or between different sign languages. It involves the use of SgSL following the spoken English Language word order with simplified or reduced grammar. The use of PSE also occurs when there is contact between two sign languages. In this instance, foreign sign borrowing, code-switching, fingerspelling, mouthing, and mixed systems are used.[11]

### Sign system

[edit]

#### Signed Exact English (SEE-II)

[edit]

Main article: Signing Exact English

SEE-II is a Manually Coded English system. It is a sign system that English Language visual through the hands. It was developed in 1969 in Southern California, United States with the aim of teaching deaf children English. About 75% to 80% of SEE-II signs are either borrowed from ASL or modified ASL signs. Unlike ASL, SEE-II is not a language but merely a mode of communication.[11]

## Current approaches to deaf education

[edit]

### Oral approach

[edit]

Children with hearing impairments receive education through the oral approach method at Canossian School (or CS; it was formerly known as Canossian School for the Hearing Impaired). The Directory of Services for the Disabled states that students at CS are taught using the Natural Auditory-Oral Philosophy, which emphasises the use of audition. Teaching is done without any form of signs or sign language. Hearing-impaired pupils in general public schools access the school curriculum through speech, in the same environment like their hearing classmates.[3]

The technological progress and development of hearing aids and cochlear implants allow hearing-impaired children to participate in class. Additional therapy programmes provided by schools and other specialised institutions, as in the case of CSHI with their Audio Verbal Therapy (AVT) or the Listen and Talk programme at the Singapore General Hospital, aim to improve performance of hearing-impaired children in a beneficial setting. The Listen and Talk Programme uses the Auditory-Verbal approach, which helps children access speech and language primarily through auditory input. It allows to integrate affected children in mainstream schools so that their hearing classmates function as important language models in their learning process.

### Sign approach

[edit]

American Sign Language (ASL) was introduced to Singapore's deaf community by Lim Chin Heng, in 1974. Lim Chin Heng was instructed by Peng Tsu Ying and additionally studied English and ASL at Gallaudet University in the United States. During that period, mainstream education in Singapore shifted from a diverse to a uniform language teaching system. English was promoted as the language of instruction in Singaporean schools, and ASL served as a medium of instruction. ASL is still used in Singapore today.[3]

Signing Exact English (SEE-II) is not a language itself but a sign coded version of English, meaning it utilises the vocabulary of ASL with the English grammar.

## Challenges

[edit]

Sign language is often viewed as subordinate to spoken language. For both adults and children within the deaf community, this perception, to some extent, leads to them becoming unable to learn sign language, which negatively impacts them socially. The Deaf and Hard of Hearing Federation of Singapore acknowledges that sign language is not the popular choice to educate the deaf population, but it is of good benefit for parents to expose their deaf children to both sign and oral language.[12]

### Local Observations

[edit]

It is difficult to determine if a bilingual (native sign language and English) education program for the deaf in Singapore would be beneficial, since little is known about their language. There is a lack of government documentation that recognises a native sign language in Singapore, thus there is also not much regulation in place to monitor how useful sign language is for Singaporeans and its deaf population; it is a continuing process in improving its application.[3]

In Singapore, no one has been able to identify a language that is native of the deaf population, although the public would say that the deaf use "sign language" to communicate. This "sign language", Signing Exact English (SEE-II), is not a sign language, but a Manually Coded English sign system.[3] While the SEE-II system is continually being used to help deaf people improve their grasp of English, Singapore Sign Language (SgSL) is evolving as another method for them to communicate. And both of these systems pose challenges to establishing sign language as a standard in Singapore.

### Challenges facing Signing Exact English (SEE-II)

[edit]

The use of SEE-II to educate Singaporean deaf children and even adults, is an ongoing issue. This is because most of the deaf population in Singapore are not raised in English-speaking homes. Thus, parents have a difficulty learning sign language because these classes are conducted only in English and SEE-II.[13] The idea behind these systems is that Deaf children will learn English better if they are exposed, visually through signs, to the grammatical features of English. However, exposure to them does not always provide children with the complete linguistic access, which is needed to internalise the whole language.[14] So, there needs to be a better way for parents with hearing-impaired children to effectively communicate with them. On the other hand, if this concern with SEE-II is left unaddressed, more parents may choose to not educate their sons and/or daughters using SEE-II or sign language.[15]

### Challenges facing Singapore Sign Language (SgSL)

[edit]

There is a need to standardise the use of Singapore Sign Language (SgSL) based on cultural elements. Language instruction of Signing Exact English for the Deaf does not get used when they are amongst themselves in the deaf community. Despite SEE-II being adopted as the language of instruction among deaf children in Singapore since 1977, and its use as a system of communication in the Deaf community in Singapore, it is of utmost importance to preserve and maintain local signs invented by the Deaf community in Singapore since the early 1950s.[16] With Singapore Sign Language (SgSL), depending on the background of the Deaf, local signs of SgSL often are invented and used by them, and they are not necessarily formally and officially indexed.[17] This is a concern such that essentially, the SgSL language lends itself to many ambiguities when it comes to its expression. Additionally, Singapore Sign Language (SgSL) has not gone through any form of linguistic research/study; this is because of a lack in government resources and funding. This basically means that it is hard to rely on the deaf population to provide updates on the local vocabularies and sign systems of SgSL, and poses an even greater obstacle for the Sign Language Interpreting community in gaining a better handle on and about the language itself.

Currently, the Linguistic Sub-Committee at the Singapore Association does exciting research into SgSL for the Deaf (SADeaf). They aim to set up a sign bank to record locally developed signs and also to better understand SgSL so as to create resources for the general public as well as members of the Deaf community.[18] They are trying to progress in the research of SgSL in order to lead to corpus development. And out of corpus development, the aim is to produce material that is more accurate in the teaching of the sign language. This, however, will take a long time to happen, for this is still in the beginning stages; this is the case because the matter is highly complex in Singapore.

## Moving forward

[edit]

The Singapore Sign Language (SgSL) Week 2014, in conjunction with the International Week for the Deaf, is a platform for the local deaf community to promote the awareness of SgSL and Deaf culture.

The Singapore Sign Language (SgSL) linguistics sub-committee has been formed to perform research on SgSL that will eventually lead to corpus development, which will be used to produce material that is more accurate in the teaching of SgSL. The committee is currently in its second term. Plans have also been made to start a preschool that focuses on language acquisition.

In addition, SADeaf organises carnivals and exhibition with its partners to reach out and promote public understanding of deafness and awareness of deaf people in the society. SADeaf has recently organised SgSL Week 2014, from 22 to 28 September 2014, in conjunction with International Week for the Deaf. The theme for International Week for the Deaf is “Strengthening Human Diversity”. The SgSL Week is a platform for the local deaf community to stand proud as Deaf, and to promote the awareness of SgSL and Deaf culture.[19]

Based on the situation in Singapore, there are further recommendations that may be made in order for Singapore Sign Language (SgSL) to progress further, and establish itself in a more prominent sense. More hearing people in Singapore will need to be educated in SgSL, learn it and the manual alphabet to provide more communication and social interaction between deaf and the hearing populations alike.[20] What has been recognised is the need to give every deaf child as early as possible in his/her life as much language education as possible through whatever communication input best suits the child's learning aptitude.[20]

## See also

[edit]

* American Sign Language
* Chinese Sign Language
* Deaf culture
* Finger spelling
* Hearing-impaired
* Manually Coded Language
* Pidgin Signed English
* Sign Language
* Signing Exact English
* Total Communication

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Singapore Sign Language". SADeaf. Archived from the original on 2023-08-02. Retrieved 2020-12-26.
2. ^ William Gordon Ewing, Sir Alexander; Lady Templer (1960). "28". The Modern Educational Treatment of Deafness. Manchester University Press. p. 25\. Archived from the original on 26 May 2024. Retrieved 19 October 2014.
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i PHUA SU YIN, MANDY (2004-04-15). The language skills of Singaporean deaf children using total communication (Thesis thesis). Archived from the original on 2021-10-27. Retrieved 2021-10-14.
4. ^ Singapore, National Library. "Singapore's Education System". Bilingual Education - Singapore's Educational System - Resource Guides at National Library, Singapore. National Library Board Singapore 2014. Archived from the original on October 2, 2013. Retrieved 19 October 2014.
5. ^ L. Quentin Dixon (2005). Cohen, James; T. McAlister, Kara; Rolstad, Kellie; et al. (eds.). ISB4: Proceedings of the 4th International Symposium on Bilingualism (PDF). Smmerville, MA 02144, USA: Cascadilla Press. ISBN 978-1-57473-107-1. Archived (PDF) from the original on 11 June 2014. Retrieved 19 October 2014.`{{cite book}}`: CS1 maint: location (link)
6. ^ "History about SADeaf". The Singapore Association for the Deaf. SADeaf. Archived from the original on 19 October 2014. Retrieved 19 October 2014.
7. ^ Sign for Singapore. Times Centre, a New Industrial Road, Singapore 1953: Times Editions Pte Ltd, Singapore Association for the Deaf. 1990. p. 4\. ISBN 978-981-204-148-7. Archived from the original on 1 November 2014. Retrieved 19 October 2014.`{{cite book}}`: CS1 maint: location (link)
8. ^ Tay-Pelz, Ann (4 June 2008). "Andrew Tay's Sharing on Singapore Sign Language (SgSL)". The Singapore Association for the Deaf. The Singapore Association for the Deaf.
9. ^ hermes (17 September 2017). "Singapore School for the Deaf to close due to dwindling enrolment". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 24 January 2021. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
10. ^ "Deaf students who sign can join mainstream primary school from 2018". TODAYonline. Archived from the original on 26 May 2024. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
11. ^ a b c d "SgSL Sign Bank". The Singapore Association for the Deaf. SADeaf. Archived from the original on 19 October 2014. Retrieved 19 October 2014.
12. ^ Boh, Samantha. "Don't shrug off sign language, say groups". AsiaOne Singapore. AsiaOne News Singapore. Archived from the original on 27 October 2014. Retrieved 20 October 2014.
13. ^ Wang, Li-Sa, The Politics of Educating the Deaf In Singapore: Challenges to Achieving Inclusion
14. ^ Zak, Omer. "Methods of Communication with the Deaf". Deaf-Info. Archived from the original on 2014-08-13. Retrieved 2014-10-20.
15. ^ Stephenson, Patrice; Zawolkow, Esther. "Communication Considerations: Signing Exact English (SEE)". Hands & Voices. Archived from the original on 2024-05-26. Retrieved 2014-10-20.
16. ^ "SgSL sign bank". The Singapore Association for the Deaf. Archived from the original on 2014-10-19. Retrieved 2014-10-19.
17. ^ "Mini Enabling Master Plan 2012" (PDF). SADeaf. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 December 2014. Retrieved 18 October 2014.
18. ^ "Sign Language and Deaf Community". sadeafyblog. Archived from the original on 2014-12-08. Retrieved 2014-10-20.
19. ^ "The Singapore Association for the Deaf homepage". The Singapore Association for the Deaf. Archived from the original on 20 October 2014. Retrieved 20 October 2014.
20. ^ a b "Joint Submission of Can! and Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Federation" (PDF). Universal Periodic Review-Singapore. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2014-10-20.

## External links

[edit]

1. Singapore sign language page at the Singapore Association for the Deaf.
2. Singapore Sign Language Sign Bank
3. Singapore Sign Language: An Introduction E-book by Nanyang Technological University Library

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Sign language

* List of sign languages
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Language
families[a]|

Sign languages by family

Australian
Aboriginal
(multiple families)[c]|

* Diyari
* Djingili
* Eltye eltyarrenke
* Iltyeme iltyeme
* Jaralde
* Kalkutungu
* Miriwoong
* Mudburra
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Zendath Kesign|

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Arab (Ishaaric)|

* Egyptian
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Iraqi–
Levantine|

* Iraqi

Levantine|

* Jordanian
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Possible|

* Emirati
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BANZSL|

* Auslan
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* British (BSL)
* Northern Ireland (NISL)
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* Maritime (MSL)
* New Zealand (NZSL)
* Samoan
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Swedish Sign|

* Eritrean (EriSL)
* Finland-Swedish (FinSSL)
* Portuguese (LGP)
* Swedish (Teckenspråk)
* Finnish (Viittomakieli)

Chinese Sign|

* Chinese (CSL/ZGS)
* Shanghai
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* Macau

Chilean-Paraguayan-
Uruguayan Sign|

* Chilean (LSCh)

Paraguayan-
Uruguayan Sign|

* Paraguay (LSPY)
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Francosign|

* Algerian (LSA)
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* Estonian (Eesti viipekeel)
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* French (LSF)
* Old French[c]
* Romanian (LSR)

American
(ASLic)|

* American (ASL)
* Black ASL (BASL)
* Protactile
* Bolivian
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* Yangon
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* Cambodian
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* Jamaican
* Malaysian (BIM)
* Oneida (OSL)
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Indonesian (Nusantaric)|

* Indonesian (Bisindo)
* Jakarta
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Francophone African
(Françafrosign)|

* Ethiopian
* Chadian
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* 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)

Austro-
Hungarian|

| Russian Sign|

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

|

Yugoslavic Sign|

* Croatian (HZJ)
* Kosovar
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* 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)
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* Teknmál

Viet-Thai|

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

German Sign|

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

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)

Mayan (Meemul Tziij)|

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

Original Thai Sign|

* Chiangmai
* Hai Phong
* Old Bangkok

Paget Gorman|

* Namibian (NSL)

Plains Sign Language|

* Anishinaabe
* Apsáalooke
* Arikara
* Chaticks si Chaticks
* Cheyenne
* Coahuilteco
* Dane-zaa
* Diné
* Hinono'eino
* Hiraacá
* Icāk
* Karankawa
* Liksiyu
* Maagiadawa
* Meciciya ka pekiskwakehk
* Nakota
* Ni Mii Puu
* Niimíipuu
* Niitsítapi
* Nųmą́khų́·ki
* Nʉmʉnʉʉ
* Omaha
* Palus
* Piipaash
* Ppáⁿkka
* Schitsu'umsh
* Shiwinna
* Sioux
* Taos
* Tickanwa•tic
* Tháumgá
* Tsuu T'ina
* Umatilla
* Wazhazhe
* Wichita
* Wíyut'a / Wíblut'e
* Wyandot

Mixed, American (ASL)|

* Oneida (OSL)

Plateau|

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

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]
* Azerbaijani (AİD)
* Belizean
* Bhutanese
* Tibetan (Bökyi lagda)
* Bribri
* Brunca
* Cena
* Chatino
* Cuban (LSC)
* Navajo/Diné Family
* Dogon/Douentza
* Ecuadorian (LSEC)
* Enga
* Ghandruk
* Ghardaia (AJSL)
* Guatemalan (Lensegua)
* Guinea-Bissau
* Henniker[c]
* Hawaiʻi (Hoailona ʻŌlelo)
* Creole HSL
* Inuit
* Atgangmuurniq
* 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
* Maltese (LSM)
* Hausa (HSL/Magannar Hannu)
* Mardin
* Mauritian (MSL)
* M'bour
* Mehek
* Miyakubo Shuwa
* Burkina (Mossi)
* Mount Avejaha
* Mozambican
* Naga
* Nicaraguan (ISN)
* Old Costa Rican
* Ottoman (Seraglio/Harem)
* Ban Khor (Pasa kidd)
* Penang
* Persian
* Peruvian (LSP)
* Inmaculada
* Qahveh Khaneh
* Rennellese[c]
* Rossel Island
* Rwandan (AKR/AMR)
* Sandy River[c]
* Salvadoran
* Sinasina
* Sivia
* Spanish (LSE)
* Tebul
* 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

Other groupings|

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

* International Sign

By region[a]|

Sign languages by region

Africa|

Algeria
Algerian
Ghardaia
Cameroon
Maroua
Ghana
Adamorobe (AdaSL / Mumu kasa)
Nanabin
Ivory Coast
Bouakako (LaSiBo)
Kenya
Kenyan
Mali
Tebul
Bamako (LaSiMa)
Nigeria
Bura
Hausa (Magannar Hannu)
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
Persian
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
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
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
Mardin
Turkish
Ukraine
Ukrainian

North and
Central
America|

Plains Sign Talk
Belize
Belizean
Canada
American (ASL)

Black ASL
Protactile
Blackfoot
Cree
Ojibwa
Oneida
Maritime (MSL)
Quebec
Inuit (Atgangmuurniq)
Plateau
Cayman
Old Cayman
Costa Rica
Bribri
Brunca
Old Costa Rican
New Costa Rican
Cuba
Cuban
Greenland
Greenlandic (Ussersuataarneq)
Guatemala
Guatemalan
Mayan
Haiti
Haitian
Honduras
Honduran
Mexico
Albarradas
Chatino
Mayan
Mexican
Nicaragua
Nicaraguan
Panama
Chiriqui
Panamanian
El Salvador
Salvadoran
Old Salvadoran
United States
American (ASL)

Black ASL
Protactile
Blackfeet
Cree
Cheyenne
Ojibwa
Oneida
Keresan (Keresign)
Martha's Vineyard
Navajo
Navajo Family
Sandy River Valley
Henniker

Oceania|

Australia
Auslan
Australian-Irish
Akitiri (Eltye eltyarrenke)
Far North Queensland Indigenous
Arrernte (Iltyeme iltyeme)
Warlpiri (Rdaka rdaka)
Manjiljarra
Warlmanpa
Warumungu (Warramunga)
Mudbura (Mudburra)
Ngada
Umpila

Far North Queensland
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
Chile
Chilean
Colombia
Colombian
Provisle
Ecuador
Ecuadorian
Paraguay
Paraguayan
Peru
Inmaculada
Peruvian
Sivia
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

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.
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