The recognition of sign languages is one of the major concerns of the international Deaf community. There is no unique way in which such a recognition can be formalized; every country has its own interpretation. In some countries, the national sign language is an official state language, whereas in others it has a protected status in certain areas such as education. A symbolical recognition is no guarantee though for an effective improvement of the life of sign language users. A sign language (also signed language) is a language which uses manual communication instead of sound to convey meaning - simultaneously combining handshapes, orientation and movement of the hands, arms or body, and facial expressions to fluidly express a speakers thoughts. ...

Sign language status by state

Australia

Auslan was recognised by the Australian Government as a "community language other than English" and the preferred language of the Deaf community in policy statements in 1987 and 1991. This recognition does not ensure any provision of services in Auslan, but use of Auslan in Deaf education and provision of Auslan/English interpreters is becoming more common. Auslan is the sign language used by the Australian Deaf community. ...

Belgium

The Parliament of French-speaking Belgium recognised LSFB (French-Belgian Sign Language) in a decree of October 2003. The French Community of Belgium (French: Communauté française de Belgique, Dutch: Franse Gemeenschap van België) is one of the three official communities in Belgium along with the Flemish Community and the German speaking Community. ... Look up October in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The majority parties of the Flemish Parliament have agreed on February 17 2006 to recognise the Flemish Sign Language (VGT). This recognition entails [1] a cultural (symbolical) recognition, [2] the foundation of a commission that will advise the Flemish government in all matters related to VGT and [3] the structural funding of research and development of VGT. The final vote will be held in the Flemish Parliament around June 2006. This recognition is a consequence of the most successful petition ever in Flanders. This article needs to be wikified. ... Flanders (Flemish, Fleming) (Dutch: Vlaanderen (Vlaams, Vlaming)) has two main designations: a geographical region in the north of Belgium, corresponding to the Flemish Region, a consituent part of the federal Belgian state. ...

Brazil

A 2002 law recognizes Brazilian Sign Language in the area of education. It determines that every Deaf child has the right to learn in its language and to have Portuguese as a second language. As of 2005, he law is in the process of being implemented (or "regulamentalized"). Brazilian Sign Language, also known as Libras (from Língua de Sinais Brasileira), previously known as LSB or LGB, is the language of the Deaf communities of Brazil. ... 2005 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Czech Republic

Czech Sign Language gained legal recognition as a human language with the passage of the Sign Language Law 155/1998 Sb ("Zákon o znakové řeči 155/1998 Sb") - see the legislation here (in Czech language).

European Union

The European Parliament unanimously approved a resolution about Deaf Sign Languages on June 17, 1988 (available online here). The resolution asks all member countries for recognition of their national sign languages as official languages of the Deaf. The European Parliament is the parliamentary body of the European Union (EU), directly elected by EU citizens once every five years. ... June 17 is the 168th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (169th in leap years), with 197 days remaining. ... 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Finland

Finnish Sign Language is recognised by law. Finnish Sign Language is the sign language most commonly used in Finland. ...

Iceland

Icelandic Sign Language has been recognised by law in education but not yet been recognised as deaf people's first language. There was a deaf member of Parliament who campaigned on this issue but so far without success. The icelandic sign language is the sign language of the deaf community in Iceland. ...

India

There is no official recognition of Indian Sign Language. ...

Northern Ireland

In Northern Ireland, both British Sign Language (which may be understood to include Northern Ireland Sign Language) and Irish Sign Language were recognised as official languages by the Northern Ireland Office, but they don't yet have the same status as the county's two official minority languages, Irish and Ulster-Scots. British sign language (BSL) is the sign language used in the United Kingdom (UK). ... Northern Ireland Sign Language (NISL) is a sign language used in Northern Ireland, mainly Belfast. ... Irish Sign Language (ISL) is the sign language of Ireland, used primarily in the Republic of Ireland. ... The Northern Ireland Office (NIO) is an arm of the United Kingdom government, responsible for Northern Ireland affairs. ... Ulster Scots, also known as Ullans, Hiberno-Scots, or Scotch-Irish, refers to a dialect of the Scots language spoken in parts of the province of Ulster, which spans the six counties of Northern Ireland and three of the Republic of Ireland. ...

Kenya

There is no legal recognition as yet, but the latest draft of the Kenyan constitution is currently (as of 2005) considering the inclusion of Kenyan Sign Language (see the KNAD report on the proposal). 2005 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Kenyan Sign Language is the language of the Deaf community in Kenya, used throughout the country by a large number of the countrys estimated Deaf population of 200,000. ...

The Netherlands

The Sign Language of the Netherlands has not been recognised officially by law. There is some public funding for sign language projects.

New Zealand

The Office for Disability Issues developed a New Zealand Sign Language Bill to "provide official recognition of Deaf people’s language as a unique New Zealand language and give it status equal to that of spoken languages. This work also includes looking at provisions for New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) interpreters in legal proceedings, and on access to language in education, health, employment and public broadcasting." This would make NZSL the third official language of New Zealand alongside Māori and English. New Zealand Sign Language, or NZSL, is the main language of the deaf community in New Zealand. ... Māori (or Maori or Te Reo) is the Polynesian language spoken in New Zealand, where it has official status. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ...

The bill passed its second reading in parliament 119 to 2 on February 23, 2006. Dates for further debate are not set yet. See the ODI for updates on the progress of the bill. February 23 is the 54th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Norway

Norwegian Sign Language is recognised by law in education. Norwegian Sign Language is the third official language in Norway, and is the preferred sign language amongst deaf Norwegians. ...

Slovak Republic

Slovak Sign Language was recognized in 1995 by law: "Zákon o posunkovej reči nepočujúcich osob 149/1995 Sb" - the Law of the Sign Language of the Deaf 149/1995.

United States of America

Many individual states have laws recognising American Sign Language as a "foreign language" for educational purposes. American Sign Language (ASL, also Amslan obs. ...

Sources

• Report on the status of Sign Languages in Europe (PDF link)
• Official Recognition of British Sign Language