Sign Language around the world
Many people think that everyone who is deaf uses the same language to communicate. But sign language is actually very different depending on where you go in the world and there are over 100 different types being used. Just like spoken languages, many sign languages have grown and evolved from each other, and constantly change to reflect new words, slang and technology. Here’s a look at some types of sign languages of different cultures.
• American Sign Language – Also sometimes called Ameslan, American Sign Language is thought to have originated on an island off the South-East coast of the US where there was a large population of deaf people. Ameslan also actually has many regional dialects and accents. For example, people from the South sign a little slower than people in the North. Like a dictionary, Ameslan is constantly updated to include modern terms such as ‘internet’, ‘blog’ and ‘video conference’.
• Australian Sign Language – Usually called Auslan, Australian Sign Language evolved from British Sign Language, which was brought to Australia by settlers from the UK in the 19th century. The first deaf immigrant who used sign language came to Australia in 1825 was from Scotland. It is recognised by the Australian Government as an official “community language other than English” and has also recently been influenced by American Sign Language.
• Greek Sign Language – Although some of the first references to sign language came from Ancient Greek philosphers and poets thousands of years ago, Greek Sign Language wasn’t officially formed and recognised until the 1950s with influence from American Sign Language and French Sign Language.
• Indo-Pakistani Sign Language – Indo-Pakistani sign language is widely used throughout South Asia, and is estimated to have several hundred thousand signers. The earliest references to sign language in the region appear in a 12th century Islamic legal commentary, and deaf education through schools, orphanages and other institutions began around the 1830s.
• Russian Sign Language – Russian Sign Language is actually similar to American Sign Language, and is very different to spoken Russian in terms of grammar and word formation rules. There are two different types of sign language mainly used. Conversational sign language is used in every day communication, and signed Russian is used in more official communications. Currently there are efforts to increase the number of training institutions in Russia that offer sign language training to people with hearing loss.
The teaching of sign language is an important educational aspect of anyone with hearing loss, especially for a child. Hearing loss treatment options are numerous and many are very effective, but communication between members of the deaf community is extremely important.
Learn more about deafness and the causes of conductive hearing loss, and the various resources and that are available for individuals that are hearing impaired such as those listed on www.cochlear.com/in.
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