Lexi Webster
Sign language is a method of communication used primarily by people who are deaf or hard of hearing. It involves a combination of hand shapes, facial expressions, and the orientation and movement of the hands, arms, or body. There are many different sign languages used around the world, including American Sign Language (ASL), British Sign Language (BSL), and Australian Sign Language (Auslan). While it is difficult to quantify the exact number of people who use sign language due to varying proficiency levels and a lack of official registers, it is estimated that there are around 30,000 people in Australia who use Auslan to communicate.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the sign language used in Australia | Auslan (Australian Sign Language) |
| Users | About 30,000 deaf people |
| Related sign languages | British Sign Language (BSL) and New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) |
| Recognition | Recognised as a "community language other than English" by the Australian government in 1987 and 1991 |
| Schools that taught Auslan | Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children in New South Wales, Victorian College for the Deaf |
| People who have used Auslan in Parliament | David Gibson, Drisana Levitzke-Gray (Young Australian of the Year for 2015) |
| Other sign languages in Australia | Warlpiri Sign Language, Yolngu Sign Language, Indigenous Australian sign languages |
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What You'll Learn
How many people use Auslan in Australia?
Auslan, an abbreviation of Australian Sign Language, is the sign language used by most of the Australian Deaf community. It is related to British Sign Language (BSL) and New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL). These three sign languages have descended from the same parent language and together comprise the BANZSL language family.
Auslan was recognised by the Australian government as a "community language other than English" and the preferred language of the Deaf community in policy statements in 1987 and 1991. However, this recognition has yet to filter through to many institutions, government departments, and professionals who work with deaf people. The first sign language interpreters were registered by NAATI, a regulatory body for interpreting and translating, in 1982, giving legitimacy to Auslan. The first dictionary of Auslan was published in 1989.
Auslan began to emerge as a language of instruction for Deaf students in primary and secondary schools from the late 1980s, mainly through the provision of Auslan/English interpreters in mainstream (hearing) schools with deaf support units. Several schools for the deaf, such as the Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children in New South Wales and the Victorian College for the Deaf, founded in the 1860s, played a significant role in the development of Auslan. Irish Sign Language (ISL) also influenced the language as it was used in Catholic schools until the 1950s.
While the exact number of Auslan users in Australia is unknown, the language is widely used by the Deaf community in the country. The peak organization of the Auslan-using deaf community in Australia is Deaf Australia. Several community-based service providers, such as Expression Australia, Deaf Services, The Deaf Society, and Deaf Can:Do, also support the Auslan-using community in different states and territories.
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What is Auslan?
Auslan, an abbreviation of Australian Sign Language, is the sign language used by the majority of the Australian Deaf community. It is a natural language that emerged spontaneously and has evolved over time. It is related to British Sign Language (BSL) and New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL), with all three descending from the same parent language to form the BANZSL language family.
Auslan has its own grammar, history, and culture, distinct from spoken and written English. It has two dominant dialects: Northern (used in New South Wales and Queensland) and Southern (used in Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia, and Tasmania). These dialects differ in their signs for colours, days of the week, and animals, but users from different regions can usually communicate with little difficulty.
The first school for the Deaf in Australia was established in 1860 by a Deaf Scotsman, Thomas Pattison, called the Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children in New South Wales. A few weeks later, the Victorian College for the Deaf was founded in Victoria by a Deaf Englishman, Frederick J Rose. These residential boarding schools played a significant role in the development and spread of Auslan as they provided many Deaf children with their first exposure to sign language.
Irish Sign Language (ISL) also influenced the development of Auslan, as it was used in Catholic schools until the 1950s. The first Catholic school for Deaf children was established in 1875 by Irish nuns. Additionally, American Sign Language (ASL) has influenced Auslan, although the two languages are very different. ASL uses a one-handed alphabet, while Auslan, like BSL and NZSL, uses a two-handed alphabet.
Today, there are growing opportunities to learn Auslan as a second language, with courses offered in some secondary schools and tertiary education institutions. Achieving fluency in Auslan, like any other language, requires years of dedicated practice and immersion.
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How did Auslan develop?
Auslan, an abbreviation of Australian Sign Language, is the sign language used by most of the Australian Deaf community. It is related to British Sign Language (BSL) and New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL), with all three descending from the same parent language to form the BANZSL language family.
Auslan's origin cannot be attributed to any individual. Instead, it is a natural language that emerged spontaneously in the nineteenth century from sign language varieties brought over from Britain and Ireland. The language has changed over time, with distinct characteristics and unique signs developing within the Australian deaf community, particularly in residential schools for deaf children.
The Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children in New South Wales and the Victorian College for the Deaf were established in 1860 by Deaf educators and provided the first contact with sign language for many deaf children. As residential boarding schools, they allowed the language to thrive, despite signing being banned from classrooms for much of the 20th century.
Irish Sign Language (ISL) also influenced Auslan's development, introduced by Irish nuns who founded the first Catholic school for deaf children in 1875. The two main dialects of Auslan, identified as "north" and "south," likely reflect the signing differences between the two deaf founder-teachers of the Sydney and Melbourne schools. As schools opened in each state, new signs developed in dormitories and playgrounds, leading to more precise regional varieties, such as "Sydney sign" and "Melbourne sign."
The status of Auslan has progressed alongside the advancement of the Deaf community in Australia since the early 1980s. The registration of sign language interpreters and the publication of the first Auslan dictionary in 1989 contributed to its legitimacy. Auslan was recognised as the preferred language of the Deaf community in Australian government policy statements in 1987 and 1991, and it has since become a language of instruction in primary and secondary schools.
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How is Auslan recognised in Australia?
Auslan, an abbreviation of Australian Sign Language, is the sign language used by most of the Australian Deaf community. It is related to British Sign Language (BSL) and New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL), with all three descending from the same parent language to form the BANZSL language family. Despite its widespread use, Auslan's grammar and vocabulary differ significantly from spoken English, making it a distinct natural language.
The Australian government recognised Auslan as a "community language other than English" and the preferred language of the Deaf community in policy statements in 1987 and 1991. This recognition, however, has not been universally adopted by institutions, government departments, and professionals working with deaf individuals. Nonetheless, steps have been taken to promote and legitimise the use of Auslan. For example, in 1982, the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI) registered the first sign language interpreters, and the first dictionary of Auslan was published in 1989.
The establishment of schools for the deaf in the mid-19th century played a pivotal role in the development and spread of Auslan. Thomas Pattison, a deaf Scotsman, founded the Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children in New South Wales in 1860. Around the same time, Frederick J. Rose, a deaf Englishman, established the Victorian College for the Deaf in Victoria. These residential schools provided a conducive environment for the language to flourish, even though signing was often banned from classrooms in the 20th century. Irish Sign Language (ISL) also influenced the evolution of Auslan, particularly in Catholic schools until the 1950s.
In recent times, Auslan has borrowed some signs from American Sign Language (ASL), especially for technical terms. However, many Auslan signers reject the introduction of borrowed ASL signs when equivalent Auslan signs already exist. Despite these differences, most Deaf Australians can communicate effectively with each other, even if they are from different regions. This is due to their adeptness at overcoming communication barriers and their awareness of regional vocabulary variations.
Auslan has also gained visibility through media exposure. During the COVID-19 pandemic, press conferences led by federal and state leaders and health officials included Auslan interpreters. Additionally, since 2020, the ABC News channel's Sunday 5 pm bulletin has incorporated Auslan interpretation. In 2006, David Gibson became the first member of any Parliament in Australia to deliver a maiden speech in Auslan. Drisana Levitzke-Gray, the Young Australian of the Year for 2015, is a strong advocate for Auslan. In her acceptance speech, she urged the Australian government and Australians to embrace Auslan as a natural language and a human right for Australians.
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How is Auslan used in Australia today?
Auslan, an abbreviation of Australian Sign Language, is the primary sign language used by the Australian Deaf community. It is a natural language that is distinct from spoken or written English, with its own grammar and vocabulary. While there are around 16,000 Auslan users in Australia, the country has only 302 active interpreters.
The language uses hand shapes, facial expressions, and body language to convey meaning. Pronouns, for example, are established using the signing space, with arbitrary signs for non-present people or things, and iconic signs for those that are present. This use of signing space also makes all pronouns non-gendered. For instance, the sentence "I will give you the doll tomorrow" would be signed as "TOMORROW DOLL GIVE", with the sign for "give" starting at the speaker's body and finishing at the receiver's.
Auslan is related to British Sign Language (BSL) and New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL), and the three languages share a common origin. However, Auslan has also been influenced by other sign languages, including Irish Sign Language (ISL), which was used in Catholic schools until the 1950s, and more recently, American Sign Language (ASL), especially for technical terms. English, as the dominant language in Australia, has also had an impact on Auslan, particularly through manual forms like fingerspelling and Signed English.
Despite its recognition as a "community language other than English" by the Australian government in policy statements in 1987 and 1991, this acknowledgment has not yet been fully embraced by many institutions, government departments, and professionals who work with deaf people. However, steps have been taken to promote the use of Auslan in various sectors. In 1982, the registration of the first sign language interpreters by NAATI, a regulatory body for interpreting and translating, gave legitimacy to Auslan. The publication of the first Auslan dictionary in 1989 further solidified its status. Auslan has also been increasingly used in education, with the provision of Auslan/English interpreters in mainstream schools and specialised bilingual programmes for deaf children. Additionally, in 2006, David Gibson became the first member of Parliament in Australia to give a maiden speech in Auslan, and the Young Australian of the Year for 2015, Drisana Levitzke-Gray, is a strong advocate for the language.
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Frequently asked questions
It is estimated that around 30,000 deaf people use Auslan (Australian Sign Language) to communicate.
Auslan evolved from sign language varieties brought to Australia by British, Irish and Scottish deaf people in the 19th century. Over time, it developed its own unique characteristics and continues to evolve to meet the communication needs of deaf Australians.
No, Auslan is not yet recognised as an official language in Australia. However, it was recognised as a "community language other than English" by the Australian government in 1987 and 1991. The deaf community is advocating for greater recognition and for Auslan to be included in all press conferences, emergency broadcasts, and breaking news.
