Chinese Sign Language
Encyclopedia
Modern Chinese Sign Language (or CSL or ZGS; ) is the deaf sign language of the People's Republic of China
. It is unrelated to Taiwanese Sign Language
.
The first deaf school using Chinese Sign Language was created by the American missionary
C.R. Mills and his wife in the year 1887. However, Mills did not work with American Sign Language
, so there is no ASL influence on Chinese Sign Language. School
s, workshop
s and farm
s in different areas for the Deaf are the main ways that CSL has been able to spread in China so well. Other Deaf who are not connected to these gathering places tend to use sets of gestures developed in their own homes, known as home sign
.
The Chinese National Association of the Deaf (ROC) was created by the Deaf People mostly from the United States
. The biggest reason for the organization of the Deaf in China was to raise quality of living for the Deaf which was behind the quality of living standards provided for the other disabled. The members of the ROC worked together to better the welfare
of the Deaf, to encourage education
of Deaf and Chinese Sign Language, and to promote
the Deaf Community in China
.
in 1887. Though he was an American, it was an oral school so American Sign Language
did not have a strong influence on the sign language that developed among its students. A second school opened in Shanghai in 1892; there instruction was in CSL, as the teachers were Deaf. Shanghainese immigrants to Hong Kong in the early 20th century took the language there; Shanghainese teachers established schools for the deaf in Singapore
and Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Chinese Sign was recognized by the central government in the 1950s.
at the Tianjin University of Technology
, is the first technical college for deaf Chinese students. The college was established in 1991 and focuses on computer technology education, giving deaf Chinese students an opportunity to work outside of a factory. Now there are also schools for the deaf in Beijing, Nanjing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Kunming, Yantai, and Hong Kong.
Despite the growing awareness about deaf needs, there is a lack of awareness about deaf culture and what constitutes deaf culture, even among the deaf community. Chinese people seem to view deafness as a disability, even deaf people view themselves as disabled. Many parents of deaf children spend tens of thousands of yuan on various types of medicine to “cure” the deafness. Treatments include: acupuncture
, Chinese medicine rehabilitation centers and hearing aids. Many parents believe that sign language will only inhibit their child’s ability to speak and therefore see signing as a bad influence and have forbidden their children to associate with others in the deaf community. As a result of this kind of upbringing, many deaf people have difficulty coming to terms with their deaf identity and often look down upon deaf people. Many deaf students would prefer a hearing teacher to a deaf one as a result of this stigma. There are no role models to look up to for no famous deaf people are known within China. Deaf people in China commonly try to integrate with the mainstream and do not want to be associated with the deaf community. The schools have begun a movement of embracing deaf culture, but the change is slow. More facilities are now available to the deaf community than ever before. There are more schools specialized for the deaf, and in Shanghai there is a medical center focused on hearing loss and oral communication that is jointly run by the Shanghai health bureau and Fudan University.
, with for example character puns. Hong Kong Sign Language derives from the southern dialect, but by now is a separate language. The Shanghai dialect is found in Malaysia and Taiwan, but Chinese Sign is unrelated to Taiwanese Sign Language
(which is part of the Japanese family
), Malaysian Sign Language
(of the French family
), or to Tibetan Sign Language (unclassified).
CSL shares morphology for forming negative clauses with British Sign Language
; it may be that this is due to historical contact with the British in Shanghai.
A feature of both CSL and British Sign Language is the use in many related signs of the thumb for a positive meaning and of the pinkie for a negative meaning, such as .
, with a system of blink
s used to communicate tones, usually expressed as a change in gaze or a slight head turn.
The Chinese culture
and language heavily influence signs in CSL. For example there is no generic word for brother in CSL, only two distinct signs, one for "older brother" and one for "younger brother". This is because the Chinese languages also usually specify "older brother" or "younger brother" rather than simply "brother". Similarly, the sign for "eat" incorporates a pictorial representation for chopsticks instead of using the hand as in ASL.
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
. It is unrelated to Taiwanese Sign Language
Taiwanese Sign Language
Taiwanese Sign Language or TSL is the deaf sign language most commonly used in Taiwan.-History:The beginnings of Taiwan Sign Language date from 1895.The origins of TSL developed from Japanese Sign Language during Japanese rule...
.
The first deaf school using Chinese Sign Language was created by the American missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
C.R. Mills and his wife in the year 1887. However, Mills did not work with American Sign Language
American Sign Language
American Sign Language, or ASL, for a time also called Ameslan, is the dominant sign language of Deaf Americans, including deaf communities in the United States, in the English-speaking parts of Canada, and in some regions of Mexico...
, so there is no ASL influence on Chinese Sign Language. School
School
A school is an institution designed for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is commonly compulsory. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools...
s, workshop
Workshop
A workshop is a room or building which provides both the area and tools that may be required for the manufacture or repair of manufactured goods...
s and farm
Farm
A farm is an area of land, or, for aquaculture, lake, river or sea, including various structures, devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food , fibres and, increasingly, fuel. It is the basic production facility in food production. Farms may be owned and operated by a single...
s in different areas for the Deaf are the main ways that CSL has been able to spread in China so well. Other Deaf who are not connected to these gathering places tend to use sets of gestures developed in their own homes, known as home sign
Home sign
Home sign is the gestural communication system developed by a deaf child who lacks input from a language model in the family...
.
The Chinese National Association of the Deaf (ROC) was created by the Deaf People mostly from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The biggest reason for the organization of the Deaf in China was to raise quality of living for the Deaf which was behind the quality of living standards provided for the other disabled. The members of the ROC worked together to better the welfare
Quality of life
The term quality of life is used to evaluate the general well-being of individuals and societies. The term is used in a wide range of contexts, including the fields of international development, healthcare, and politics. Quality of life should not be confused with the concept of standard of...
of the Deaf, to encourage education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
of Deaf and Chinese Sign Language, and to promote
Promotion (marketing)
Promotion is one of the four elements of marketing mix . It is the communication link between sellers and buyers for the purpose of influencing, informing, or persuading a potential buyer's purchasing decision....
the Deaf Community in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
.
History
An American missionary named C. R. Mills established the first school for the deaf in China in ShandongShandong
' is a Province located on the eastern coast of the People's Republic of China. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history from the beginning of Chinese civilization along the lower reaches of the Yellow River and served as a pivotal cultural and religious site for Taoism, Chinese...
in 1887. Though he was an American, it was an oral school so American Sign Language
American Sign Language
American Sign Language, or ASL, for a time also called Ameslan, is the dominant sign language of Deaf Americans, including deaf communities in the United States, in the English-speaking parts of Canada, and in some regions of Mexico...
did not have a strong influence on the sign language that developed among its students. A second school opened in Shanghai in 1892; there instruction was in CSL, as the teachers were Deaf. Shanghainese immigrants to Hong Kong in the early 20th century took the language there; Shanghainese teachers established schools for the deaf in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
and Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Chinese Sign was recognized by the central government in the 1950s.
Perception
There is a growing awareness about deaf education and care in China. China Disabled Persons’ Federation website reports that China has 21 million people with hearing loss. There is a bilingual-bicultural school for the deaf and a deaf university in China’s third largest city, Tianjin. For the majority of the last 50 years, CSL has been discouraged, even banned from most classrooms. Instead an oral-only policy has been pushed. The China Disabled People’s Federation runs nearly 1,500 pre-school “hearing rehabilitation centers” established since the 1980s. Less than 10% of the children who attend these schools are able to have an adequate enough grasp on the Chinese spoken language to enter public school. The few who enrolled in public school were children with residual hearing or who were able to afford cochlear implants. As mentioned before, Chinese is a tonal language, making it very difficult for deaf children to learn to speak, for they can’t see the changes in tones that drastically change the meanings of words. Most deaf children leave school with an education three grades lower than their hearing peers, presenting few job opportunities available to them. Only recently have the local authorities in Tianjin with the cooperation of organizations such as UNICEF begun to create new job opportunities to the deaf population. In 2001 the Tianjin school for the Deaf adopted Chinese Sign Language as their main method of communication and made an effort to have deaf employees. The school has had very positive results in education and attitude among the students. The Tianjin Technical College for the Deaf, a partner in PEN-InternationalPEN-International
The Postsecondary Education Network International, known as PEN-International, is an international partnership of colleges and universities serving the higher education of students with hearing impairment....
at the Tianjin University of Technology
Tianjin University of Technology
Tianjin University of Technology is a university in Tianjin, China under the municipal government.-References:...
, is the first technical college for deaf Chinese students. The college was established in 1991 and focuses on computer technology education, giving deaf Chinese students an opportunity to work outside of a factory. Now there are also schools for the deaf in Beijing, Nanjing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Kunming, Yantai, and Hong Kong.
Despite the growing awareness about deaf needs, there is a lack of awareness about deaf culture and what constitutes deaf culture, even among the deaf community. Chinese people seem to view deafness as a disability, even deaf people view themselves as disabled. Many parents of deaf children spend tens of thousands of yuan on various types of medicine to “cure” the deafness. Treatments include: acupuncture
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a type of alternative medicine that treats patients by insertion and manipulation of solid, generally thin needles in the body....
, Chinese medicine rehabilitation centers and hearing aids. Many parents believe that sign language will only inhibit their child’s ability to speak and therefore see signing as a bad influence and have forbidden their children to associate with others in the deaf community. As a result of this kind of upbringing, many deaf people have difficulty coming to terms with their deaf identity and often look down upon deaf people. Many deaf students would prefer a hearing teacher to a deaf one as a result of this stigma. There are no role models to look up to for no famous deaf people are known within China. Deaf people in China commonly try to integrate with the mainstream and do not want to be associated with the deaf community. The schools have begun a movement of embracing deaf culture, but the change is slow. More facilities are now available to the deaf community than ever before. There are more schools specialized for the deaf, and in Shanghai there is a medical center focused on hearing loss and oral communication that is jointly run by the Shanghai health bureau and Fudan University.
Classification
Chinese Sign Language is a language isolate. There are two main dialects: Southern CSL, the prestige dialect centered on Shanghai, and Northern CSL used in Beijing. Northern CSL has the greater influence from ChineseChinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
, with for example character puns. Hong Kong Sign Language derives from the southern dialect, but by now is a separate language. The Shanghai dialect is found in Malaysia and Taiwan, but Chinese Sign is unrelated to Taiwanese Sign Language
Taiwanese Sign Language
Taiwanese Sign Language or TSL is the deaf sign language most commonly used in Taiwan.-History:The beginnings of Taiwan Sign Language date from 1895.The origins of TSL developed from Japanese Sign Language during Japanese rule...
(which is part of the Japanese family
Japanese Sign Language family
The Japanese Sign Language family is a language family of three sign languages, Japanese Sign Language , Korean Sign Language , and Taiwanese Sign Language .There is little difficulty in communication between the three languages....
), Malaysian Sign Language
Malaysian Sign Language
Malaysian Sign Language is the sign language in everyday use in many parts of Malaysia. BIM has many dialects, differing from state to state....
(of the French family
French Sign Language family
The French Sign Language family is a proposed language family of sign languages which includes French Sign Language and American Sign Language, among others....
), or to Tibetan Sign Language (unclassified).
CSL shares morphology for forming negative clauses with British Sign Language
British Sign Language
British Sign Language is the sign language used in the United Kingdom , and is the first or preferred language of some deaf people in the UK; there are 125,000 deaf adults in the UK who use BSL plus an estimated 20,000 children. The language makes use of space and involves movement of the hands,...
; it may be that this is due to historical contact with the British in Shanghai.
A feature of both CSL and British Sign Language is the use in many related signs of the thumb for a positive meaning and of the pinkie for a negative meaning, such as .
Structure
Like most other signed languages, Chinese Sign Language is mostly conveyed through shapes and motions joined with facial expressions. CSL has at its disposal an alphabetic spelling system similar to pinyinPinyin
Pinyin is the official system to transcribe Chinese characters into the Roman alphabet in China, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. It is also often used to teach Mandarin Chinese and spell Chinese names in foreign publications and used as an input method to enter Chinese characters into...
, with a system of blink
Blink
Blinking is the rapid closing and opening of the eyelid. It is an essential function of the eye that helps spread tears across and remove irritants from the surface of the cornea and conjunctiva. Blink speed can be affected by elements such as fatigue, eye injury, medication, and disease...
s used to communicate tones, usually expressed as a change in gaze or a slight head turn.
The Chinese culture
Culture
Culture is a term that has many different inter-related meanings. For example, in 1952, Alfred Kroeber and Clyde Kluckhohn compiled a list of 164 definitions of "culture" in Culture: A Critical Review of Concepts and Definitions...
and language heavily influence signs in CSL. For example there is no generic word for brother in CSL, only two distinct signs, one for "older brother" and one for "younger brother". This is because the Chinese languages also usually specify "older brother" or "younger brother" rather than simply "brother". Similarly, the sign for "eat" incorporates a pictorial representation for chopsticks instead of using the hand as in ASL.