South African Sign Language
Encyclopedia
South African Sign Language (SASL) is the name of the sign language favoured by the South African government. SASL was formally recognised in 1995, and is still being codified. It is promoted as the language of the South African deaf "community", although the deaf in South Africa form no single cohesive group.
In addition to SASL and about 12 other sign languages spoken in South Africa, American Sign Language
(ASL) is also popular, although since 2006 the teaching of ASL is officially discouraged. Most local sign languages in South Africa show influence of German
and American sign language.
SASL is the sign language that is used during television news casts in South Africa. There are 40 schools for the deaf in South Africa, using a variety of sign languages.
Sign language is mentioned in the South African constitution, and the South African Schools Act permits the study of sign language in lieu of an official language studied at school.
As early as 1863, Irish nuns were involved in training programmes for the Deaf. Irish Sign Language
, "originally heavily influenced by French Sign Language
" is said to have had a noticeable influence in sign languages in the world, including in South Africa.
In 1874 in Cape Town, the first institution for the Deaf called Grimley Institute for Deaf and Dumb was established by an Irish Deaf woman named Bridget Lynne.
In 1881 in Worcester, De La Bat school for the Deaf was established.
From 1877, Dominican sisters started to settle near Durban. In 1884, Sister Stephanie Hanshuber, from Germany, introduced the oral method in South Africa.
In 1888 "King William's Town Convent School for the Education of the Deaf" was formally opened.
"Since there is little historical evidence, it is presumed that South African Sign Language has a mixture of the Irish influence from the Dominican Irish nuns, and British influence as well as the American influence. (Sign Language is the natural language of the Deaf.)"
s, the 1996 Constitution of the Republic of South Africa recognizes the role and importance of sign language in general (see entry Legal recognition of sign languages) by encouraging further developments and the promotion of "sign language" in South Africa (Founding Provisions, Languages, Pan South African Language Board 6:5).
South African Sign Language is accepted as the language of instruction in the education of Deaf learners.
"A recognized sign language" is made a legal medium of instruction by the 1996 Bill of Rights), followed by the 1996 South African Schools Act and finally by the 1997 Language in Education Policy of the Department of Education which grants South African Sign Language both "constitutional and legal protection in the South African context".
In 2008 the SASL Policy Implementation Conference gathered many key role players including scholars, researchers and teachers, policy makers, advocates and governmental bodies in order to promote South African Sign Language to become recognized as South Africa's 12th official language.
and hearing people who also communicate in sign language (and who often work as interpreters).
It is wrong to assume that all deaf people communicate in sign language.
This situation explains why, by convention, deaf people (with a lower-case 'd') refers to the population who has a hearing disability whereas Deaf people (with a capital 'D') refers to the population who makes use of South African Sign Language and who identifies itself with the Deaf culture.
Therefore the number of Deaf people in South Africa ( 600 000 Deaf and 1.4 million people with Hearing loss doesn't give an accurate depiction of the number of people who communicate in South African Sign Language.
There is currently no estimate for the number of people who communicate in South African Sign Language in South Africa. Estimates vary greatly, from 700 000 to 2 millions users. A request has been made to the Human Sciences Research Council (South Africa)
to include this measure has part of the Census 2011.
Words which are often fingerspelled tend to become signs in their own right, following linguistic transformation processes such as alphanumeric incorporation and abbreviation. For instance, the sign-name for Cape Town
uses incorporated fingerspelled letters C.T. ( transition from handshape for letter 'C' to letter 'T' of both wrists with rotation an horizontal axis). The month of July is often abbreviated as 'J-L-Y'.
Fingerspelling words is not a substitute for using existing signs : it takes longer to sign, it is harder to perceive. If the fingerspelled word is a borrowing, fingerspelling depends on both users having knowledge of the spoken language (English, Sotho, Afrikaans).
Although proper names (such as a person's name, a company name) are often fingerspelled, it is often a temporary measure until the Deaf community agrees on a Sign name
replacement.
are specific signs which are associated to proper names (a location, a person, an organisation). Sign names are often chosen based on a salient physical property. For instance, the sign-name for Nelson Mandela
is signed using a flat B-hand that follows a hair-line over the head. The sign-name for the bank ABSA
is made with both hands following the movement implied in the company corporate logo.
, but which also subsumes a cluster of semi-standardised dialects. South Africa one of a few countries to have legal recognition of sign language.
Organisations:
Learning:
Research resources:
In addition to SASL and about 12 other sign languages spoken in South Africa, 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...
(ASL) is also popular, although since 2006 the teaching of ASL is officially discouraged. Most local sign languages in South Africa show influence of German
German Sign Language
German Sign Language or Deutsche Gebärdensprache is the sign language of the Deaf community in Germany. It is often abbreviated as DGS. It is unclear how many use German Sign Language as their main language; Gallaudet University estimated 50,000 in 1986.The language has evolved through use in deaf...
and American sign language.
SASL is the sign language that is used during television news casts in South Africa. There are 40 schools for the deaf in South Africa, using a variety of sign languages.
Sign language is mentioned in the South African constitution, and the South African Schools Act permits the study of sign language in lieu of an official language studied at school.
History of education of the deaf in South Africa
Timeline :- 1863 Irish nuns start training programs in sign language
- 1874 Grimley Institute for the Deaf and Dumb established by Bridget Lynne in Cape Town
- 1881 De La Bat school established in Worcester
- 1920 Adoption of Oralism in Deaf schools
- 1934 Separation between European and Non-European schools
- 1941 First school "for the Black Deaf" established
- 1984 Medium of education changed from vernacular (native tongue) to English in Department Of Education and Training schools
- 1996 "Sign language" (but not specifically SASL) mentioned in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa as a language to be promoted
As early as 1863, Irish nuns were involved in training programmes for the Deaf. Irish Sign Language
Irish Sign Language
Irish Sign Language is the sign language of Ireland, used primarily in the Republic of Ireland. It is also used in Northern Ireland, though British Sign Language is also used. Irish Sign Language is more closely related to French Sign Language than to British Sign Language, which was first used...
, "originally heavily influenced by French Sign Language
French Sign Language
French Sign Language is the sign language of the deaf in the nation of France. According to Ethnologue, it has 50,000 to 100,000 native signers....
" is said to have had a noticeable influence in sign languages in the world, including in South Africa.
In 1874 in Cape Town, the first institution for the Deaf called Grimley Institute for Deaf and Dumb was established by an Irish Deaf woman named Bridget Lynne.
In 1881 in Worcester, De La Bat school for the Deaf was established.
From 1877, Dominican sisters started to settle near Durban. In 1884, Sister Stephanie Hanshuber, from Germany, introduced the oral method in South Africa.
In 1888 "King William's Town Convent School for the Education of the Deaf" was formally opened.
"Since there is little historical evidence, it is presumed that South African Sign Language has a mixture of the Irish influence from the Dominican Irish nuns, and British influence as well as the American influence. (Sign Language is the natural language of the Deaf.)"
Status
South African Sign Language is not standardized and continues to evolve. Due to the geographical spread of its users and past educational policies, there are localized dialects of South African Sign Language and signs with many variants. Earlier efforts to create reference material and standardize the language such as books ( 1980 Talking to the Deaf, 1994 Dictionary of SASL can only be used has historical records of the language. Daily TV broadcasts in sign language gives today's South African Sign Language its national cohesion and unity.Legal
Although South African Sign Language is not one of South Africa's 11 Official languageOfficial language
An official language is a language that is given a special legal status in a particular country, state, or other jurisdiction. Typically a nation's official language will be the one used in that nation's courts, parliament and administration. However, official status can also be used to give a...
s, the 1996 Constitution of the Republic of South Africa recognizes the role and importance of sign language in general (see entry Legal recognition of sign languages) by encouraging further developments and the promotion of "sign language" in South Africa (Founding Provisions, Languages, Pan South African Language Board 6:5).
South African Sign Language is accepted as the language of instruction in the education of Deaf learners.
"A recognized sign language" is made a legal medium of instruction by the 1996 Bill of Rights), followed by the 1996 South African Schools Act and finally by the 1997 Language in Education Policy of the Department of Education which grants South African Sign Language both "constitutional and legal protection in the South African context".
In 2008 the SASL Policy Implementation Conference gathered many key role players including scholars, researchers and teachers, policy makers, advocates and governmental bodies in order to promote South African Sign Language to become recognized as South Africa's 12th official language.
Signing and being Deaf
The Deaf community is formed by people who communicate in sign language. It is not restricted to the group of deaf people whose primary language is South African Sign Language. There are also children of Deaf adultsChild of deaf adult
A child of a deaf adult, often known by the acronym "CODA", is a person who was raised by a deaf parent or guardian. Many CODAs identify with both deaf and hearing cultures...
and hearing people who also communicate in sign language (and who often work as interpreters).
It is wrong to assume that all deaf people communicate in sign language.
This situation explains why, by convention, deaf people (with a lower-case 'd') refers to the population who has a hearing disability whereas Deaf people (with a capital 'D') refers to the population who makes use of South African Sign Language and who identifies itself with the Deaf culture.
Therefore the number of Deaf people in South Africa ( 600 000 Deaf and 1.4 million people with Hearing loss doesn't give an accurate depiction of the number of people who communicate in South African Sign Language.
There is currently no estimate for the number of people who communicate in South African Sign Language in South Africa. Estimates vary greatly, from 700 000 to 2 millions users. A request has been made to the Human Sciences Research Council (South Africa)
Human Sciences Research Council (South Africa)
The Human Sciences Research Council of South Africa primarily conducts large-scale, policy-relevant, social-scientific projects for public-sector users, non governmental organisations and international development agencies in support of development nationally, in the Southern African Development...
to include this measure has part of the Census 2011.
Fingerspelling
Fingerspelling is a manual technique of signing used to spell letters and numbers (numerals, cardinals). Therefore fingerspelling is a sign language technique for borrowing words from spoken languages. It is a practical to refer to the written world.Words which are often fingerspelled tend to become signs in their own right, following linguistic transformation processes such as alphanumeric incorporation and abbreviation. For instance, the sign-name for Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
uses incorporated fingerspelled letters C.T. ( transition from handshape for letter 'C' to letter 'T' of both wrists with rotation an horizontal axis). The month of July is often abbreviated as 'J-L-Y'.
Fingerspelling words is not a substitute for using existing signs : it takes longer to sign, it is harder to perceive. If the fingerspelled word is a borrowing, fingerspelling depends on both users having knowledge of the spoken language (English, Sotho, Afrikaans).
Although proper names (such as a person's name, a company name) are often fingerspelled, it is often a temporary measure until the Deaf community agrees on a Sign name
Sign name
In Deaf culture and sign language, a sign name is a special sign that is used to uniquely identify a person, just like a name. There are some special cultural rules around sign names; for example, they must be agreed upon by you and people in the Deaf community...
replacement.
Sign-names and Idioms
Sign-namesSign name
In Deaf culture and sign language, a sign name is a special sign that is used to uniquely identify a person, just like a name. There are some special cultural rules around sign names; for example, they must be agreed upon by you and people in the Deaf community...
are specific signs which are associated to proper names (a location, a person, an organisation). Sign names are often chosen based on a salient physical property. For instance, the sign-name for Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, and was the first South African president to be elected in a fully representative democratic election. Before his presidency, Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist, and the leader of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the armed wing...
is signed using a flat B-hand that follows a hair-line over the head. The sign-name for the bank ABSA
Absa Group Limited
The Absa Group Limited is the largest consumer bank in South Africa.- Overview :Absa is based in Johannesburg and listed on the JSE Limited and is one of South Africa's largest financial institutions...
is made with both hands following the movement implied in the company corporate logo.
Dialects and Variations
South African Sign Language is an utterly distinct though incompletely emerged national standard languageStandard language
A standard language is a language variety used by a group of people in their public discourse. Alternatively, varieties become standard by undergoing a process of standardization, during which it is organized for description in grammars and dictionaries and encoded in such reference works...
, but which also subsumes a cluster of semi-standardised dialects. South Africa one of a few countries to have legal recognition of sign language.
External links
General information:- About.com Sign Language in South Africa.
- Ethnologue.com – South African Sign Language code
Organisations:
- DeafSA – Deaf South Africa, national non-governmental organisation
- Worcester Institute for the Deaf – School and Professional formation
- DTV – Deaf TV is a South African Sign Language studio with weekly broadcast on national TV.
- South African Sign Language Interpretation National Centre – Interpreting services
Learning:
- Thibologa Sign Language Institution – Basic online SASL course
- Sign Genius – SASL learning software and online information
- SLED – Sign Language Education and Development, SASL courses.
- University of Witwatersrand – SASL courses
Research resources:
- University of Western Cape – SASL project 'iSign' and 'PhoneReader'
- University of the Free State – Afroasiatic Studies, Sign Language and Language Practice – offers linguistic B.A. and M.A. courses .
- University of Stellenbosch – English Text to South African Sign Language (SASL) Project
- Sutton Sign Writing – Dictionary of South African Sign Language sign represented in a graphical form.