The legal recognition of signed languages differs widely. In some jurisdictions (countries, states, provinces or regions), a signed language is recognised as an official language; in others, it has a protected status in certain areas (such as education). Although a government may stipulate in its constitution (or laws) that a "signed language" is recognised, it may fail to specify signed language; several different signed languages may be commonly used.
The most frequently used framework for the legal recognition of sign languages, adopted and further developed by the World Federation of the Deaf, was developed by Dr Maartje De Meulder.
Extending legal recognition is a major concern of Deaf culture. Symbolic recognition does not guarantee an improvement in the lives of signed-language users, and it has been argued that signed languages should be supported not merely as an accommodation for disabled people, but as a communication medium in language communities.Sarah C. E. Batterbury. 2012. Language Policy 11:253–272.
Status by country Argentina Argentine Sign Language was officially recognized by the government of Argentina in 2023.
Australia Auslan was recognised by the Australian government as a "community language other than English" and the preferred language of the Deaf community in 1987 and 1991 policy statements. Although the recognition does not ensure the provision of services in Auslan, its use in Deaf education and by Auslan-English interpreters is becoming more common.
Austria Austrian Sign Language (Österreichische Gebärdensprache, or ÖGS) was recognised by the Austrian Parliament in 2005. On 1 September 2005, the Constitution of Austria was amended to include a new article: §8 (3) Die Österreichische Gebärdensprache ist als eigenständige Sprache anerkannt. Das Nähere bestimmen die Gesetze. ("Austrian Sign Language is recognised as an independent language. The laws will determine the details.")Krausneker, Verena (2006) Taubstumm bis gebärdensprachig. Die österreichische Gebärdensprachgemeinschaft aus soziolinguistischer Perspektive. Verlag Drava.
Belgium
French Community Belgium's Parliament of the French Community recognised French Belgian Sign Language (LSFB) by decree in October 2003. The recognition entails: cultural (symbolic) recognition the formation of a commission to advise the Government of the French Community in all LSFB-related matters
According to the Décret relatif à la reconnaissance de la langue des signes (Decree on the Recognition of Sign Language), "It concerns a symbolic recognition that goes hand-in-hand with a general measure, permitting every minister to take action in fields relative to his authority.""... il s'agit d'une reconnaissance cadre assortie d'une mesure d'exécution générale permettant à chaque ministre concerné de prendre les arrêtés d'application relevant de ses compétences ..."
Flemish Community Flemish Sign Language ( or VGT) was recognised on 24 April 2006 by the Flemish Parliament. The recognition entails: a cultural (symbolic) recognition the formation of a commission to advise the Flemish government on all VGT-related matters funding of VGT research and development
German-speaking Community German Sign Language was legally recognised in 2019 by the Parliament of the German-speaking Community.
Brazil Although Brazilian Sign Language (LIBRAS) was legally recognised in 2002, a 2005 law stipulated that it could not replace written Portuguese.24 April 2002 law.Brazilian decree nº 5626, 22 December 2005. The language must be taught as a part of the speech-language pathology curriculum, and LIBRAS is an elective undergraduate subject.
Canada Maritime Sign Language (MSL), which derives from British Sign Language, is moribund in Canada's Maritime provinces. It is not officially recognised, and has been replaced by ASL in schools. The Halifax School for the Deaf, which operated from 1856 to June 1961, taught in MSL; after that, the Interprovincial School for the Education of the Deaf (later renamed the Atlantic Provinces Special Education Authority, or APSEA) in Amherst, Nova Scotia, took over until it closed in 1995.
Inuit Sign Language (IUR), used in Canada's Arctic communities, was developed locally by families and communities for their deaf families and community members.
Federal The Accessible Canada Act (ACA), passed on 21 June 2019, recognised "American Sign Language (ASL), Quebec Sign Language and Indigenous sign languages (...) as the primary languages for communication by deaf persons in Canada."
The ACA only recognises ASL at the federal level. Provincial and Territorial Alberta The Legislative Assembly passed a motion recognising ASL as a language of instruction. Manitoba Manitoba has legally recognised ASL since 1988. Ontario The Ontario Education Act sanctions the use of ASL and Langue des signes québécoise as languages of instruction in all schools for deaf students in Ontario. Saskatchewan The Accessible Saskatchewan Act recognises ASL and indigenous sign languages states that "Sign languages are recognized as the primary languages for communication by deaf persons in Saskatchewan" Nunavut Nunavut considered giving Inuit IUR legal status. IUR made its debut in the Nunavut legislature in 2008.
China Chinese Sign Language has no formal legal protection.
Chile Chilean Sign Language ( or LSCh), was enacted as Law No. 20,422 in 2010 to ensure equal opportunity for disabled people. The law recognises sign language as the natural means of communication for the deaf community.Ley 20422 BCN LEGISLACIÓN CHILENA, 2010
Czech Republic Czech Sign Language gained legal recognition with the passage of the Sign Language Law, 155/1998 Sb ("Zákon o znakové řeči 155/1998 Sb").
Cyprus Cypriot Sign Language was recognised as a language equivalent to Greek.
Denmark
Danish Sign Language gained legal recognition on 13 May 2014. The Danish Parliament established the Danish Sign Language Council "to devise principles and guidelines for the monitoring of the Danish sign language and offer advice and information on the Danish sign language."
European Union The European Parliament unanimously approved a resolution about sign languages on 17 June 1988. The resolution suggests that all member states recognise their sign languages as official languages of the Deaf community.
The EP issued another resolution in 1998, with essentially the same content as the 1988 resolution. A third resolution was passed in 2016. It was drafted by Helga Stevens, Europe's first deaf female MEP and president of the European Union of the Deaf from 2005 to 2007. The resolution, on sign language and professional sign-language interpreters, draws on Deaf studies and linguistics.Sign language and professional sign language interpreters
France French Sign Language has been recognised since 2005 under Act No. 2005-102.
Finland Finnish Sign Language was recognised in the constitution in August 1995:
Germany German Sign Language was officially recognised in April 2002, from the perspective of it being a language of a disability group, but not from the perspective of it being a language of a cultural minority.
Berlin Berlin has recognised German Sign Language in its equality legislation since 1999.
Greece Greek Sign Language was recognised as an official language in 2000 and gained equal status with Modern Greek in 2017.
Iceland Icelandic Sign Language was recognised by law in education in 2004:
In June 2011, Icelandic Sign Language was officially recognized as a first language. In No. 61/2011 under Article 3 it states that "Icelandic sign language is the first language of those who have to rely on it for expression and communication, and of their children. The government authorities shall nurture and support it. All those who need to use sign language shall have the opportunity to learn and use Icelandic sign language as soon as their language acquisition process begins, or from the time when deafness, hearing impairment or deaf-blindness is diagnosed. Their immediate family members shall have the same right."
Indian subcontinent Although Indo-Pakistani Sign Language (IPSL) is officially unrecognised, it is used in India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan.
Ireland The Irish Parliament passed the Irish Sign Language Act 2017 passed on 14 December 2017, and was signed into law by President Michael D. Higgins on 24 December of that year, giving Irish Sign Language legal recognition. Before 2017, there was no automatic right for deaf people to have an ISL interpreter except for criminal-court proceedings. ISL recognition provides more legal rights and better access to public services, including education, healthcare, media and banking.
Italy Italian Sign Language (Lingua dei Segni Italiana, LIS) was recognised on 19 May 2021. Although opponents of LIS recognition say that it is not a language because it lacks grammar, its grammar has been studied.Michele Brunelli: Grammatica della LIS
Japan Japanese Sign Language was recognized as a language by the Basic Act for Persons with Disabilities, which was enacted in 2011."Sign Language Stated in Law!" at jfd.or.jp; excerpt, "Every person with disabilities, wherever possible, shall be ensured opportunities to choose his or her language (including sign language) and/or other means of communication, and the expansion of opportunities to choose his or her means of acquiring or utilizing information shall be promoted."
Prefectural In 2013, the first general sign language law was established in Tottori Prefecture. A proposal for a "Japanese Sign Language Act" that started in Hakusan City in Ishikawa Prefecture in 2013, reached unanimous support across the 1788 local legislatures.
Kenya The 2010 Constitution of Kenya recognises Kenyan Sign Language and, according to Article 7.3b, says that Kenya would promote its development and use. KSL is given official status in Article 120 (1), which says that "the official languages of Parliament are Kiswahili, English and Kenyan Sign Language and the business of Parliament may be conducted in English, Kiswahili and Kenyan Sign Language."
Luxembourg German Sign Language was recognised in 2018 as a language for which children have the right to access education in sign language in both secondary school and primary school, and family members were given the right to access up to 100 hours of sign language courses.
Malta Maltese Sign Language (, or LSM) was officially recognised by the Parliament of Malta in March 2016.
Mexico
Mexican Sign Language (lengua de señas mexicana, or LSM) was declared a "national language" in 2003, and it began use in public deaf education. Deaf education in Mexico had focused on oralism (speech and lipreading), and few schools conducted classes in LSM.
Nepal Although Nepali Sign Language has not been recognised as the official language of Nepal's deaf population, legislation is proposed which will bring Nepali law into line with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
Netherlands
Dutch Sign Language (, or NGT) was recognised by law in 2020. The Christian Union party introduced a bill to recognise NGT in 2010, but it did not pass. In October 2016, MPs Roelof van Laar (Labour Party) and Carla Dik-Faber (Christian Union) proposed a bill legally recognising NGT as an official language. MP Attje Kuiken (Labour Party) took over the bill in September 2019 (after Van Laar's departure), and MP Jessica van Eijs (Democrats 66) joined Kuiken and Dik-Faber. At the end of the month, the Advisory Division of the Council of State said that the text of the bill was still too vague and did not clarify which problems it intended to address and how it would do so; it asked if "the Deaf culture" mentioned in the bill also needed to be legally recognised and, if so, what that term entailed.
New Zealand