Deaf Culture: Japanese Sign Language

We know about American Sign Language, but what about Japanese Sign  Language? Here’s what I found out about Japanese Sign Language (JSL) according to ThinkQuest website. JSL is a distinct sign language with unique vocabulary and grammar that is  unrelated to ASL although it has some relation to Korean Sign Language and Taiwanese Sign Language.

JSL is not standardized at all. There are minor variations of signs and grammar from region to region and island to island. Similar to the Pidgin Signed English and Signed English languages in the US, there are Pidgin Japanese and Manually Signed Japanese languages in Japan. JSL, like ASL, is preferred by the Deaf. In the same way as ASL, JSL utilizes the mouthing of words to supplement the signs. Over 95% of the Deaf understand Japanese Sign Language and 80% understand finger spelling.

Only a minority of schools have sign language and most of time they use the Manual Sign Language over the preferred JSL. Fingerspelling was only introduced this century and is not used much. Instead, for place names and personal names, many deaf write the corresponding "Kanji" in the air. "Kanji" signs are a standardized set of signs that spell out personal or place names.

JSL is becoming more popular with hearing people in Japan, just as ASL is in America.

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