Brazilian Sign Language
| Brazilian Sign Language | |
|---|---|
| Libras | |
| Native to | Brazil and Brazilian diaspora |
| Region | Urban areas |
|
Native speakers
|
3 million (no date) |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | |
| Glottolog | braz1236 |
Brazilian Sign Language (BSL), also known as "Libras" (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈlibɾɐs], from "Língua Brasileira de Sinais" [ˈlĩɡwɐ bɾaziˈlejɾɐ dʒi siˈnajs]) and variously abbreviated as LSB, LGB or LSCB (Brazilian Cities Sign Language), is the sign language used by deaf communities of urban Brazil.
Brazilian Sign Language is well-established; several dictionaries, instructional videos and a number of articles on the linguistic features of the language have been published. It has dialects across Brazil reflecting regional and sociocultural differences.
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. The law mandates the use of Brazilian Sign Language in education and government services.
Educational approaches has evolved from oralism to Total Communication and bilingualism.
BSL fingerspelling uses a one-handed manual alphabet similar to that used by the French Sign Language family.
There are 44 distinct handshapes used in the language.
Transcription of the alphabet using SignWriting has been in place since at least 1997 with the SignNet Project in Porto Alegre and Fernando Capovilla's dictionaries in São Paulo. The University of Santa Catarina at Florianopolis (UFSC) has required courses in SignWriting as the preferred form of LIBRAS transcription.
SignWriting is cited as being useful in the pedagogy of young children. http://www.signwriting.org/archive/docs6/sw0580_BR_Aquisicao_Escrita_Sinais_2007.pdf
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