Varieties of American Sign Language

Dialects and descendants of American Sign Language

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Varieties and descendants of ASL are used throughout the Caribbean, West and Central Africa, and Southeast Asia

Map of North American Francosign languages, including varieties of ASL covered by the dashed line

American Sign Language (ASL) developed in the United States, starting as a blend of local sign languages and French Sign Language (FSL).[1] Local varieties have developed in many countries, but there is little research on which should be considered dialects of ASL (such as Bolivian Sign Language) and which have diverged to the point of being distinct languages (such as Malaysian Sign Language).

The following are sign language varieties of ASL in countries other than the US and Canada, languages based on ASL with substratum influence from local sign languages, and mixed languages in which ASL is a component. Distinction follow political boundaries, which may not correspond to linguistic boundaries.

## Bolivian Sign Language

[edit]

Bolivian Sign Language

Lengua de Señas Bolivianas LSB
Native to| Bolivia

Native speakers

| 22,600 (2008)[2]

Language family

French Sign

* American Sign
* Bolivian Sign Language

Language codes
ISO 639-3| `bvl`
Glottolog| `boli1236`
ELP| Bolivian Sign Language

Bolivian Sign Language (Lengua de Señas Bolivianas, LSB) is a dialect of American Sign Language (ASL) used predominantly by the Deaf in Bolivia.

### History

[edit]

In 1973, American Sign Language was brought to Bolivia by Eleanor and Lloyd Powlison, missionaries from the United States.[3] An indigenous sign language (or perhaps sign languages) existed before the introduction and adoption of American Sign Language, though it is unknown how widespread or unified it was.[4]

The first book of LSB was published in 1992, but more than 90% of the signs were from ASL.[5] Due to research work in the 1990s and 2000s a lot of expressions in LSB were collected by Bolivian Deaf, and education materials for learning LSB or teaching in LSB were published. The dependence on words used in ASL was reduced, but the usage of ASL words still is over 70%.

Today LSB is used by more deaf Bolivians than the reported 400 in 1988 in the Ethnologue report,[2] due to the introduction of bilingual education (LSB as primary language and Spanish as secondary language) originally in Riberalta and its adoption to other schools in Bolivia with the support of the Education Ministry of Bolivia and the growing social exchange of the Deaf.

In 1988, there were a total of 9 deaf institutions in the country and 46,800 deaf Bolivians.[2] In 2002 there were approximately 25 deaf schools.[5]

## Burundian Sign Language

[edit]

Burundian Sign Language

Langue des Signes Burundaise
Native to| Burundi

Native speakers

| 5,000 (2020) to estimated 35,000–70,000 (2021)[6]

Language family

American Sign

* Burundian Sign Language

Language codes
ISO 639-3| `lsb`
Glottolog| `buru1325` Burundi Sign Language

Burundian Sign Language (LSB) is the national sign language of Burundi's Deaf community. It dates from Andrew Foster's introduction of ASL into Burundi, but has diverged since. Mouthing and initialization are mostly based on French. ASL signers from the US are reported to have a hard time understanding videos in LSB, and LSB signers have a hard time understanding ASL videos, and Burundian Deaf consider their language to be distinct from ASL and from neighboring sign languages, such as Ugandan and Rwandan Sign.[7]

## Costa Rican Sign Language

[edit]

Costa Rican Sign Language

New Costa Rican Sign Language
Native to| Costa Rica

Native speakers

| estimated 10,000-20,000 (2021)[8]

Language family

Creole of American Sign (French family) and Old Costa Rican Sign

Language codes
ISO 639-3| `csr`
Glottolog| `cost1249`

Costa Rican Sign Language, also known New Costa Rican Sign Language or Modern Costa Rican Sign Language, is the national sign language of Costa Rica's Deaf community. It is used primarily by people born after 1960, and is about 60% cognate with American Sign Language (Woodward 1991, 1992). It is unrelated to two known village sign languages of Costa Rica, Bribri Sign Language and Brunca Sign Language.[9][10]

## Dominican Sign Language

[edit]

Dominican Sign Language

Native to| Dominican Republic

Native speakers

| estimated 21,000–43,000 (2021)[11]

Language family

French Sign

* American Sign
* Dominican Sign Language

Language codes
ISO 639-3| `doq`
Glottolog| `domi1236`

Dominican Sign Language (DGS) is a local variant of American Sign Language (ASL) used in the Dominican Republic. Many deaf Dominicans use home sign, and are not fluent in Dominican Sign Language.

Dominican Sign Language originated from French Sign Language (LSF), which was introduced to Dominica by French missionaries and combined with local gesture traditions. Therefore, it has many similarities with French Sign Language.

There may also be some differences in grammatical structure between Dominican Sign Language and American Sign Language. For example, there may be differences in sentence structure, verb morphology, and word order.

## Francophone African Sign Language

[edit]

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Francophone African Sign Language

Native to| Ivory Coast, Benin, Cameroon, Gabon, and other areas of Francophone West and Central Africa

Native speakers

| 12,500 in Benin (2008), 100,000 / est. 60,000–120,000 in Burkina Faso (2021), est. 14,000–28,000 in CAR (2021), est. 16,000–32,000 in Congo (2021), 2,000 (2008) to 7,000 (2021) in Gabon, est. 38,000–76,000 in Guinea (2021),[12] est. 77,000–155,000 in Ivory Coast (2021), est. 20,000-35,000 in Mali (2021), est. 24,000–48,000 in Togo (2021), no data elsewhere[13]

Language family

French Sign

* American Sign
* Francophone African Sign Language

Language codes
ISO 639-3| None (`mis`)
Individual code:
`gus` – Guinean Sign Language
Glottolog| `guin1250` Guinean Sign Language
`lang1335` Langue des Signes Zairoise

Francophone African Sign Language (Langue des signes d'Afrique francophone, or LSAF) is the variety, or varieties, of American Sign Language (ASL) used in several francophone countries of Africa. Education for the deaf in these countries is based on ASL and written French; there is therefore a French influence on the language of the classroom.[14]

With the exception of Algerian Sign Language, the sign languages of francophone Africa are unrelated to French Sign Language, except indirectly through their derivation from ASL. This is because most schools for the deaf in the region were founded by the American missionary Andrew Foster or by his students, starting in 1974. Chadian Sign Language may be closest to Nigerian Sign Language. A few countries have languages unrelated to either: Madagascar Sign Language derives from Norwegian SL, and Tunisian Sign Language is apparently a language isolate.[citation needed]

The relationship of LSAF to standard American Sign Language has not been systematically assessed.[13] For instance, Gabonese Sign Language has diverged and may be a separate language,[13] and Togo Sign Language is not mutually intelligible with standard American Sign Language.[13]

### Characteristics

[edit]

As in other African derivations of ASL, the language has been affected by local gestures and conventions. This is especially true of taboo topics such as sex (Dalle 1996).

As an example of the French influence on francophone ASL, the word for 'she' is made by pointing with an L-shaped hand, rather than with a simple index finger, because the name of the letter el is homonymous with elle ('she') in French. It is not clear to what extent such influence continues outside the classroom.

### Location

[edit]

Francophone African countries which use ASL as the language of Deaf instruction are:

* Senegal
* Mauritania
* Mali
* Guinea
* Ivory Coast
* Burkina Faso
* Togo
* Benin
* Niger
* Chad (from Nigeria)
* Central African Republic
* Gabon
* Republic of Congo (Brazzaville; from Nigeria)
* Democratic Republic of Congo (Kinshasa; French Sign Language is also used)
* Burundi
* Morocco

## Haitian Sign Language

[edit]

Haitian Sign Language

Langue des Signes Haïtienne
Native to| Haiti

Native speakers

| 40,000 (2008)[13]

Language family

French Sign

* American Sign
* Haitian Sign Language

Language codes
ISO 639-3| –
Glottolog| `hait1245`

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (August 2022)

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While American Sign Language is sometimes used in the Haitian Deaf community, it is not the most prominent in Haiti. The local variant, Haitian Sign Language, or LSH (Langue des Signes Haïtienne), is the sign language variant most often used. There are five government-run schools for Deaf children, and LSH is used and spread through these schools and other social areas for the Deaf community. Historically, LSH has not been widely documented or recognized, leading to the creation of the LSHDoP, the Haitian Sign Language Documentation Project. This project is run by the Haitian Deaf Community, in collaboration with Gallaudet University.[15]

## Ghanaian Sign Language

[edit]

Ghanaian Sign Language

Native to| Ghana

Native speakers

| estimated 91,000–182,000 (2021)[16]

Language family

French Sign

* American Sign
* Ghanaian Sign Language

Language codes
ISO 639-3| `gse`
Glottolog| `ghan1235`
Ghanaian Sign Language in action

Ghanaian Sign Language is the national sign language of deaf people in Ghana, descended from American Sign Language.[16][17] It was introduced in 1957 by Andrew Foster, a deaf African-American missionary, as there had been no education or organizations for the deaf previously. Foster went on to establish the first school for the deaf in Nigeria a few years later, and Nigerian Sign Language shows influence from GSL. GSL is unrelated to indigenous Ghanaian sign languages such as Adamorobe Sign Language and Nanabin Sign Language.

There are currently fourteen schools for the deaf in Ghana, thirteen primary schools and two secondary schools in Ghana, one at Akuapim-Mampong, the other at Navrongo.[18] GSL is supported by the Ghana National Association of the Deaf which has their headquarters in Accra. The Bible Society of Ghana has started translation of the Bible into Ghanaian sign language.

## Greek Sign Language

[edit]

This section is an excerpt from Greek Sign Language.[edit]

Greek Sign Language (Greek: Ελληνική νοηματική γλώσσα, romanized: Ellinikí noimatikí glóssa, ENG) is a sign language used by the Greek deaf community.

## Indonesian sign languages

[edit]

This section is an excerpt from Indonesian Sign Language.[edit]

Indonesian Sign Language (Indonesian: Bahasa Isyarat Indonesia, BISINDO) is any of several related deaf sign languages of Indonesia, at least on the island of Java. It is based on American Sign Language, with local admixture in different cities. Although presented as a coherent language when advocating for recognition by the Indonesian government and use in education, the varieties used in different cities may not be mutually intelligible.

## Jamaican Sign Language

[edit]

Jamaican Sign Language

JSL
Native to| Jamaica

Native speakers

| 7,500 (2011)[19]

Language family

French Sign

* American Sign
* Jamaican Sign Language

Language codes
ISO 639-3| `jls`
Glottolog| `jama1263`

Jamaican Sign Language (JSL) is a local variant of American Sign Language used in Jamaica. It is supplanting the indigenous Jamaican Country Sign Language.

## Malaysian Sign Language

[edit]

This section is an excerpt from Malaysian Sign Language.[edit]

Malaysian Sign Language (Malay: Bahasa Isyarat Malaysia, or BIM) is the principal language of the deaf community of Malaysia. It is also the official sign language used by the Malaysian government to communicate with the deaf community and was officially recognised by the Malaysian government in 2008 as a means to officially communicate with and among the deaf, particularly on official broadcasts and announcements. BIM has many dialects, differing from state to state.[20]

## Moroccan Sign Language

[edit]

Moroccan Sign Language

MSL
Native to| Morocco
Region| Tetouan

Native speakers

| 63,000 (2008)[21]

Language family

French Sign

* American Sign-based creole?
* Moroccan Sign Language

Language codes
ISO 639-3| `xms`
Glottolog| `moro1242`

Moroccan Sign Language (MSL) is the language of the deaf community of Tetouan and some other cities of Morocco.

American Peace Corps volunteers created Moroccan Sign Language in 1987 in Tetouan from American Sign Language (ASL) and the existing signs; there is less than a 50% lexical similarity with ASL. It is not clear if the 'existing signs' were home sign or an established village sign language. The language is used in three programs for the deaf, but not throughout the country: It is not used in the large cities of Rabat, Tangier, or Casablanca, for example. In Oujda, near the Algerian border, Algerian Sign Language is used, or at least the local sign language has been strongly influenced by it.[21]

## Nigerian Sign Language

[edit]

Nigerian Sign Language

Native to| Nigeria, Chad, Republic of Congo

Native speakers

| 2,800 (2008) to estimated 48,000–96,000 (2021) in Chad;[22] estimated 600,000–1,000,000 in Nigeria (2021)[23]

Language family

French Sign

* American Sign
* Nigerian Sign Language

Language codes
ISO 639-3| Either:
`nsi` – Nigerian Sign
`cds` – Chadian Sign
Glottolog| `nige1259`

Nigerian Sign Language (NSL) is the national sign language of deaf people in Nigeria, however, Nigeria does not have a national sign language yet. ASL (with a possible mix of Signed English) was introduced in 1960, a few years after Ghanaian Sign Language, by Andrew Foster, a deaf African-American missionary, thereby raising a signing system some scholars have referred to as a dialect of ASL. Deaf education in Nigeria was based on oral method and existing indigenous sign languages were generally regarded as gestural communication prior to Andrew Foster's arrival. The conventional "Nigerian Sign Language" today has been described as the "School Sign Language" and is coded as nsi on the repository of languages of the world by SIL International. There is a Ghanaian influence in NSL; both are based on American Sign Language. The School Sign Language has little relationship with the various Indigenous Nigerian sign languages such as Hausa Sign Language, Yoruba Sign Language, and Bura Sign Language. The Save the Deaf and Endangered Languages Initiative[24] and Nigerian National Association of the Deaf[25] have been working to document indigenous and national varieties of NSL both for research and reference for the Nigerian deaf population.[24][25]

Chadian and Congolese teachers for the deaf are trained in Nigeria. There are deaf schools in Chad in N’Djamena, Sarh, and Moundou.[citation needed]

## Panamanian Sign Language

[edit]

Panamanian Sign Language

Lengua de señas panameñas
Native to| Panama

Native speakers

| 9,000 (2008)[26]

Language family

French Sign

* American Sign
* Panamanian Sign Language

Language codes
ISO 639-3| `lsp`
Glottolog| `pana1308`
ELP| Panamanian Sign Language

Panamanian Sign Language (Lengua de señas panameñas, LSP) is one of two deaf sign languages of Panama. It derived from American Sign Language and influenced by Salvadoran Sign Language.[26][27]

See also Chiriqui Sign Language.

## Philippine Sign Language

[edit]

This section is an excerpt from Filipino Sign Language.[edit]

Filipino Sign Language, abbreviated as FSL (Filipino: Wikang Senyas[28]), or Philippine Sign Language,[29] is a sign language originating in the Philippines. Like other sign languages, FSL is a unique language with its own grammar, syntax and morphology; it is not based on and does not resemble Filipino or English.[30] Some researchers consider the indigenous signs of FSL to be at risk of being lost due to the increasing influence of American Sign Language.[30]

## Puerto Rican Sign Language

[edit]

Puerto Rican Sign Language

Lengua de señas puertorriqueña
Native to| Puerto Rico
Ethnicity| 8,000 to 40,000 deaf (1986)[31]

Native speakers

| est. 6,000–13,000 (2021)[31]

Language family

French Sign

* American Sign
* Puerto Rican Sign Language

Language codes
ISO 639-3| `psl`
Glottolog| `puer1237`
ELP| Puerto Rican Sign Language

Puerto Rican Sign Language (PRSL) is a variety or descendant of American Sign Language, which was introduced to Puerto Rico in 1907. It is not clear how far PRSL may have diverged from ASL, but Ethnologue speaks of bilingualism in ASL as well as speakers who know only PRSL.[31]

## Sierra Leonean Sign Language

[edit]

Sierra Leonean Sign Language

Native to| Sierra Leone
Region| Freetown
Ethnicity| 3,000–5,000 (2008)[32]

Native speakers

| 200 (2008) to est. 23,000–46,000 (2021)[32]

Language family

French Sign

* American Sign
* Sierra Leonean Sign Language

Language codes
ISO 639-3| `sgx`
Glottolog| `sier1246`

Sierra Leonean Sign Language is a variety or descendant of American Sign Language (ASL) used in schools for the deaf in Sierra Leone, or at least in the capital Freetown. As in much of West Africa, the first schools for the deaf were founded by the American missionary Andrew Foster or his students.

## Selangor Sign Language

[edit]

Selangor Sign Language

Bahasa Isyarat Selangor
Native to| Malaysia
Region| Kuala Lumpur and Selangor

Native speakers

| 500 (no date)[33]
Mostly elderly, all bilingual in Malaysian Sign

Language family

French Sign

* American Sign, with local mixture
* Selangor Sign Language

Language codes
ISO 639-3| `kgi`
Glottolog| `sela1253`
ELP| Selangor Sign Language

Selangor Sign Language (SSL), also known as Kuala Lumpur Sign Language (KLSL), is a sign language used in Malaysia. It was originally based on American Sign Language (ASL) but has diverged significantly enough to now be considered a language in its own right. Kuala Lumpur was formerly located in the state of Selangor before it became a federal territory in 1974.

Like Penang Sign Language (PSL), it now mainly used by older people, although many younger people can understand it.

## Singapore Sign Language

[edit]

This section is an excerpt from Singapore Sign Language.[edit]

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.[34] 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.

## Thai Sign Language

[edit]

This section is an excerpt from Thai Sign Language.[edit]

Thai Sign Language (TSL; Thai: ภาษามือไทย), or Modern Standard Thai Sign Language (MSTSL), is the national sign language of Thailand's deaf community and is used in most parts of the country by the 20 percent of the estimated 56,000 pre-linguistically deaf people who go to school.[35]

## See also

[edit]

* Black American Sign Language – Dialect of American Sign Language

## Bibliography

[edit]

* Kamei, Nobutaka ed. 2008. Langue des Signes d'Afrique Francophone (LSAF) (DVD). Fuchu: Research Institute for Languages and Cultures of Asia and Africa, Tokyo University of Foreign Studies.
* Tamomo, Serge. 1994. Le language des signes du sourd Africain Francophone. Cotonou, Bénin: PEFISS.
* Garay, S. (2004). Understanding the Panama Deaf Community & Sign Language: Lengua de Señas Panameñas. (Instructional CD) Asociación Nacional de Sordos de Panamá.
* —— (1990). Panama's sign language dictionary: Lengua de señas panameñas. Asociación Nacional de Sordos de Panamá.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "What Is American Sign Language (ASL)? | NIDCD". www.nidcd.nih.gov. 2021-10-29. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
2. ^ a b c Bolivian Sign Language at Ethnologue (25th ed., 2022)
3. ^ "School for the Deaf Faces Hostile Takeover". World Watch Monitor. Aug 18, 2000. Archived from the original on June 29, 2015. Retrieved Jun 29, 2015.
4. ^ Holbrook, David (2009). "Bolivia Deaf Community and Sign Language Pre-Survey Report" (PDF). SIL International.
5. ^ a b Collaud, Carole. "Projektinformationen: Bericht von Carole Collaud, 1. Teil" (in German). Archived from the original on March 15, 2012. Retrieved June 29, 2015.
6. ^ Burundian Sign Language at Ethnologue (25th ed., 2022)
7. ^ "Request for Change to ISO 639-3 Language Code" (PDF). iso639-3.sil.org. Retrieved 2023-08-10.
8. ^ Costa Rican Sign Language at Ethnologue (25th ed., 2022)
9. ^ James Woodward, 1991, "Sign Language Varieties in Costa Rica", in Sign Language Studies 73, p. 329-346
10. ^ Gaurav Mathur & Donna Jo Napoli, 2010, Deaf around the World: The Impact of Language, Oxford University Press, page 43
11. ^ Dominican Sign Language at Ethnologue (25th ed., 2022)
12. ^ Varieties of American Sign Language at Ethnologue (25th ed., 2022)
13. ^ a b c d e ASL at Ethnologue (25th ed., 2022)
14. ^ "Francophone African Sign Language - AASL". Aasl.aacore.jp. Archived from the original on 2012-09-20. Retrieved 2012-05-21.
15. ^ Hochgesang, Julie A.; Mcauliff, Kate (2016). "An Initial Description of the Deaf Community in Haiti and Haitian Sign Language (LSH)". Sign Language Studies. 16 (2): 227–294\. doi:10.1353/sls.2016.0003. ISSN 1533-6263.
16. ^ a b Ghanaian Sign Language at Ethnologue (25th ed., 2022)
17. ^ Edward, Mary. 2014. The Phonology and Morphology of Ghanaian Sign Language. Atelier International sign language workshop at the Université Félix Houphouët-Boigny, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire on 24th July. 2014
18. ^ Knoors, Harry; Brons, Maria; Marschark, Marc (2019). Deaf education beyond the Western world: context, challenges, and prospects. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780190880514.
19. ^ Jamaican Sign Language at Ethnologue (25th ed., 2022)
20. ^ Hasuria Che Omar (2009). Penterjemahan dan Bahasa Isyarat [Translation and Sign Language] (in Malay). ITBM. p. 43\. ISBN 978-983-068-469-7.
21. ^ a b Moroccan Sign Language at Ethnologue (25th ed., 2022)
22. ^ Chadian Sign Language at Ethnologue (25th ed., 2022)
23. ^ Nigerian Sign Language at Ethnologue (25th ed., 2022)
24. ^ a b "Save the Deaf and Endangered Languages Initiative". S-DELI. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
25. ^ a b "Official Website of the Nigeria National Association of the Deaf". NNAD. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
26. ^ a b Panamanian Sign Language at Ethnologue (25th ed., 2022)
27. ^ Joma, Susana (2006-01-19). "Escuela para niños sordos". El Diario de Hoy (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2016-03-06.
28. ^ "Filipino Sign Language". Repositoryo ng mga Wika ng Pilipinas. Komisyon sa WIkang Filipino.
29. ^ Hammarström, Harald; Forke, Robert; Haspelmath, Martin; Bank, Sebastian, eds. (2020). "Philippine Sign Language". Glottolog 4.3.
30. ^ a b Martinez, PhD, Liza (December 1, 2012). "Primer on Filipino Sign Language". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved February 9, 2017.
31. ^ a b c Puerto Rican Sign Language at Ethnologue (25th ed., 2022)
32. ^ a b Sierra Leonean Sign Language at Ethnologue (25th ed., 2022)
33. ^ Selangor Sign Language at Ethnologue (16th ed., 2009)
34. ^ "Singapore Sign Language". SADeaf. Archived from the original on 2023-08-02. Retrieved 2020-12-26.
35. ^ Reilly, Charles & Suvannus, Sathaporn (1999). Education of deaf people in the kingdom of Thailand. In Brelje, H.William (ed.) (1999). Global perspectives on education of the deaf in selected countries. Hillsboro, OR: Butte. pp. 367–82. NB. This is a prevalence estimate 1/1000 people as deaf. Based on 2007 figures of Thailand's population, an estimate of 67,000 deaf people is more accurate.[citation needed] Furthermore, hearing-speaking people are beginning to learn and use the Thai Sign Language.

## External links

[edit]

* Sophie Dalle, 1996–1997, Rapport de Stage: La language de signes au Congo (in French)

* 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.

* v
* t
* e

Francosign languages

Proto|

* Proto-LSF

Africa|

* Algerian

| ASLic|

* Francophone African
* Ghanaian
* Moroccan
* Nigerian
* Sierra Leonean

|

Danish|

* Malagasy

Dutch|

* Gambian

Italian|

* Tunisian

Americas|

* Libras
* Chilean

| ASLic|

* American
* Bolivian
* Costa Rican
* Dominican
* Jamaican
* Panamanian
* Puerto Rican
* Quebec

|

Mexican|

* Mexican
* Honduran

Mixed, Hand Talk|

* Oneida (OSL)

Asia|

| ASLic|

* Kuala Lumpur
* Burmese
* Philippine
* Singaporean
* Thai

| BIM|

* BIM

| BISINDO|

* Jakarta
* Yogyakarta

|

Russian|

* Mongolian

Europe|

* Dutch
* French
* Irish
* Italian
* Latvian
* Lithuanian
* Romanian
* Swiss-German

| ASLic|

* Greek
* Cypriot

|

Austro-
Hungarian|

* Austrian
* Czech
* Hungarian
* Slovak

| Russian|

* Bulgarian
* Estonian
* Georgian
* Russian
* Ukrainian

|

Yugoslav|

* Croatian
* Yugoslav

Catalan|

* Catalan
* Valencian

Old Belgian|

* Flemish
* French Belgian

Danish|

* Danish
* Icelandic
* Norwegian

Oceania|

* Australian-Irish

| Mixed, Hoailona ʻŌlelo|

* Creole Hawaiʻi Sign Language (CHSL)

|

Italics indicate extinct languages
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