Types of Sign Language
Name↕ | Region↕ | Users↕ | Family↕ | Recognized↕ | Known For↕ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
American Sign Language (ASL) | United States, Canada | 500,000 - 2 million | French Sign Language family | Yes (ADA, state laws) | Most widely studied sign language in the world |
British Sign Language (BSL) | United Kingdom | 150,000+ | BANZSL family | Yes (BSL Act 2022) | Two-handed fingerspelling system, unrelated to ASL |
French Sign Language (LSF) | France | 100,000+ | French Sign Language family | Yes (2005) | Parent of ASL, one of the oldest documented sign languages |
Japanese Sign Language (JSL) | Japan | 320,000+ | Japanese Sign Language family | Partial | Unique grammar distinct from spoken Japanese |
Chinese Sign Language (CSL) | China | 20 million+ | Chinese Sign Language family | Yes | Largest deaf community in the world by population |
Auslan | Australia | 20,000+ | BANZSL family | Yes (community language) | Related to BSL, recognized as a community language since 1991 |
German Sign Language (DGS) | Germany | 200,000+ | German Sign Language family | Yes (2002) | Distinct from spoken German grammar |
Brazilian Sign Language (Libras) | Brazil | 3 million+ | French Sign Language family | Yes (2002, national law) | Mandatory in Brazilian education since 2005 |
Indo-Pakistani Sign Language (IPSL) | India, Pakistan | 6 million+ | Indo-Pakistani SL family | India: Yes (2024) | Shared across India and Pakistan despite spoken language divide |
Russian Sign Language (RSL) | Russia | 120,000+ | French Sign Language family | Yes (2012) | Strong deaf cultural community, influenced by French SL |
Kenyan Sign Language (KSL) | Kenya | 600,000+ | Unique/mixed | Yes (2010 constitution) | Constitutionally recognized, taught in Kenyan schools |
New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) | New Zealand | 20,000+ | BANZSL family | Yes (official language since 2006) | One of only three official languages of New Zealand |
Turkish Sign Language (TID) | Turkey | 250,000+ | Turkish SL family | Yes (2005) | Distinct syntax, verb agreement system |
International Sign (IS) | International | Conference use | Pidgin/contact language | Used at WFD events | Not a natural language; used at international deaf events |
Nicaraguan Sign Language (ISN) | Nicaragua | 3,000+ | Unique (creole) | Community-based | Emerged spontaneously in the 1980s, studied as proof of innate language capacity |
Free to explore · No signup needed
Frequently asked questions
How is the Types Of Sign Language list ranked?
The Types of Sign Language list is currently sorted by the source data's default ordering. Community voting is not enabled on this dataset.
How many entries are in this Types Of Sign Language dataset?
This dataset contains 15 entries, each with multiple sortable, filterable columns. The full table is visible on this page and can be downloaded as a CSV, JSON, or Excel file.
Can I download the Types Of Sign Language data?
Yes. The download buttons at the top of the page give you the full 15-row dataset as CSV, JSON, or Excel. Use of the data is permitted under a Creative Commons Attribution license — credit dtbse.com when you republish.
Related Datasets
More in Education
Languages of United States
Languages spoken in United States.
Languages of Italy
Languages spoken in Italy.
Languages of Pakistan
Languages spoken in Pakistan.
Languages of Iran
Languages spoken in Iran.
Languages of Philippines
Languages spoken in Philippines.
Languages of Russia
Languages spoken in Russia.
Languages of Spain
Languages spoken in Spain.
Languages of Australia
Languages spoken in Australia.
Languages of Chile
Languages spoken in Chile.
Languages by Native Speakers
World languages ranked by number of native speakers.
Languages of Morocco
Languages spoken in Morocco.
Languages of France
Languages spoken in France.