| Also Known As: Dgs,Deutsche Gebärdensprache
Description:
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 communities over hundreds of years.
Germany has a strong oralist tradition and historically has seen a suppression of sign language. German Sign Language was first recognised legally in a disability act in May 2002. Since then, Deaf people have a legal entitlement to Sign Language interpreters when communicating with federal authorities, free of charge .
Very few television programs include an interpreter; those that do are the news and a news 'round-up'. There is at least one programme conducted entirely in German Sign Language called "Sehen Statt Hören" (Seeing Instead of Hearing), a documentary-style programme broadcasting every Saturday morning on the third public channel.
German Sign Language is unrelated to spoken German. The two have very different grammars, though as the dominant language of the region, German has had some influence on German Sign Language. A signed system that..... full article at Wikipedia |
