Brazilian Sign Language
| Libras (Brazilian Sign Language) | |
|---|---|
| Signed in | Brazil |
| Region | Cities |
| Native signers | unknown (date missing) |
| Language family |
Unknown. Possibly in the French Sign Language family.
|
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | bzs |
Brazilian Sign Language, also known as "Libras" (from "Língua Brasileira de Sinais") and previously known as LSB, LGB or LSCB (Brazilian Cities Sign Language),[1] is the language of the Deaf communities of urban Brazil.
Contents |
[edit] Recognition and status
Libras is well-established; several dictionaries, instructional videos and a number of articles on the linguistic features of the language have been published.
A strong sign language law was passed by the National Congress of Brazil on April 24, 2002, and (in 2005) is in the process of being implemented.[2] The law mandates the use of Libras in education and government services.
Educational approaches has evolved from oralism to Total Communication to bilingualism.
[edit] Alphabet
Libras fingerspelling uses a one-handed manual alphabet similar to that used by the French Sign Language family.[3]
There are 44 distinct handshapes used in the language.[1]
[edit] Deaf and sign language organizations
The most important deaf organization is FENEIS, the Federação Nacional de Educação e Integração dos Surdos (National Federation of Deaf Education and Integration). There are a number of regional organizations in Curitiba, Caxias do Sul and Rio Grande do Sul.
[edit] Classification
Wittmann (1991)[4] posits that LIBRAS is a language isolate (a 'prototype' sign language), though one developed through stimulus diffusion from an existing sign language, likely French Sign Language.
[edit] See also
- Urubú Sign Language, an unrelated sign language of Brazil.
[edit] Footnotes
- ^ a b Ferreira-Brito, Lucinda and Langevin, Rémi (1994), The Sublexical Structure of a Sign Language, Mathématiques, Informatique et Sciences Humaines 32:125, 1994, pp. 17–40
- ^ LIBRAS law (in Portuguese)
- ^ LIBRAS manual alphabet
- ^ Wittmann, Henri (1991). "Classification linguistique des langues signées non vocalement." Revue québécoise de linguistique théorique et appliquée 10:1.215–88.[1]
[edit] References
- Gama, Flausine José da Costa: Iconographia dos Signaes dos Surdos-Mudos.[Iconography of Signs for the Deaf-Mute]. Rio de Janeiro : E.+H.Laemmert 1875
- Capovilla, F. C., and W. D. Raphael, eds. 2001. Dicionário enciclopédico ilustrado trilíngüe da Língua de Sinais Brasileira: Vols. 1 (Sinais de A a L) & 2 (Sinais de M a Z). [Trilingual illustrated encyclopedic dictionary of Brazilian Sign Language, Vols. 1 and 2] São Paulo: Edusp, FAPESP, Fundação Vitae, Feneis, Brasil Telecom. Volume One: ISBN 85-314-0600-5 Volume Two: ISBN 85-314-0603-X
[edit] External links
- Full list of online LIBRAS dictionaries (English) – (French)
- www.libras.org.br – NGO with information and services relating to Libras.
- Collection of links by "The Interpreters Friend".
- Entrevista Com o Surdo Gay – IMDB info on movie in Libras.
- Site from Brazil – IMDB info from Brazil, very good.(Portuguese)
- Campanha Legenda Nacional – Video, in Portuguese and Libras with captioning, from the Brazilian campaign to promote captioning.
