Sign Language

Do we really mean Sign Language, or do we mean Sign LanguageS? That's right, there isn't just one, there is a differing set of signs for almost every country.

For any of you out there wondering how hard or easy any one of these languages may be, to learn, let's just say that most people comment on how sign language is one of the easiest languages to learn!

To be kept in mind though, is that among the deaf, there has evolved a certain culture. Just as a certain nation's language, geographical location, or historical background can have an effect on the culture of that people (influencing music, food, sense of humor, etc), so it is with deaf people. While not being united by geographical location, or even necessarily the same exact Sign language, the evolution of sign language together with their way of seeing the world and communicating what they see and feel, their sense of humor, and things influenced by their being deaf, creates a culture that they belong to.

The book Inside Deaf Culture describes in a sensitive and moving way what is the culture of the deaf - how sign language history has had effects on this and what has lead to deaf or hard of hearing people to communicate and act the way they do, in general.

For a list of Sign language information by country, and for more information to learn these differing sets of languages, see below:

American Sign Language (ASL)

Argentine Sign Language

Australian Sign Language

Brazilian Sign Language (also known as LIBRAS)

British Sign Language (BSL)

Chilean Sign Language

Ecuadorian Sign Language

French Sign Language

German Sign Language

Irish Sign Language

Italian Sign Language

Japanese Sign Language

Korean Sign Language

Mexican Sign Language

New Zealand Sign Language

Peruvian Sign Language

Quebec Sign Language, or Langue des signes québécoise (LSQ)

Russian Sign Language

Singapore Sign Language

South African Sign

Spanish Sign Language

Taiwan Sign Language

Help Others Live & Learn

Have you learnt or are you learning one of these so-called easiest languages to learn? If so, we'd love to hear about the sign language resources you used to help you. Which were particularly useful? How did they help you? And which resources left a litte to be desired?

Please e-mail us your findings using the form below. By sharing our sign-language learning experiences we can help eachother on the road to sign-language learning success.