A Tour of Major Sign Languages: ASL, BSL, IPSL and Beyond

1. Mapping the World of Sign Languages

Sign languages are natural languages used mainly by Deaf communities. They are not just signed versions of spoken languages.

In this module, you’ll:

• Meet some of the most widely used sign languages (ASL, BSL, IPSL, Libras, CSL, JSL, NZSL, SASL, and more).
• See how language families for sign languages differ from spoken ones.
• Read simple population statistics and compare usage.

> Today’s context: As of early 2026, there is still no single global sign language. Instead, there are over 140–160 distinct sign languages documented worldwide, and new research keeps refining these numbers.

Keep in mind from earlier modules:

• Sign languages grow out of Deaf communities and cultures, not governments.
• They use visual-gestural grammars: handshape, movement, location, facial expression, and space.

In the next steps, you’ll take a guided “tour” across regions.

2. Spoken vs. Signed Language Families

A core idea for this module:

> Countries that share a spoken language often do *not* share a sign language.

Key contrasts

• English-speaking world
• USA & Canada (Anglophone) → Mainly ASL (American Sign Language)
• UK → Mainly BSL (British Sign Language)
• Australia & New Zealand → Auslan and NZSL (related to BSL, not ASL)

• Portuguese-speaking countries
• Brazil → Libras (Língua Brasileira de Sinais)
• Portugal → LGP (Língua Gestual Portuguesa)
• These two are not the same and are only partially related.

• Chinese languages vs. Chinese Sign Language
• Spoken Mandarin, Cantonese, etc. do not determine the structure of Chinese Sign Language (CSL).

Why this matters

• Sign languages have their own histories, often shaped by schools for the Deaf, local Deaf clubs, and contact between Deaf communities.
• You cannot assume that knowing a spoken language helps you understand the sign language of that country.

You’ll see this clearly when we compare ASL vs. BSL vs. English in the next step.

3. ASL vs. BSL vs. English: Non-Equivalence

Let’s look at American Sign Language (ASL) and British Sign Language (BSL) and their relationship to English.

1. Different language families

• ASL is historically linked to French Sign Language (LSF).
• In the 1800s, a French Deaf teacher, Laurent Clerc, helped found a Deaf school in the US.
• ASL developed from LSF + local American signing systems.
• BSL developed largely independently in the UK, with its own grammar and vocabulary.

So:

• ASL ≈ distant cousin of LSF
• BSL ≈ separate family
• Both are unrelated to the grammar of spoken English.

2. Visual example: the sign for “COLOR”

(Described in words so you can imagine it)

• ASL “COLOR”
• Handshape: Open hand (5-hand) wiggling fingers.
• Location: In front of the chin.
• Movement: Fingers wiggle slightly.

• BSL “COLOUR”
• Two hands: Often a movement where one hand brushes or taps the other, near the chest (exact form can vary by region).
• Handshapes and movement are completely different from ASL.

Even though both countries use English as their main spoken language, their sign languages are not mutually intelligible.

3. Grammar differences from English

• ASL example sentence (glossed):

`YESTERDAY STORE ME GO`

(English: “I went to the store yesterday.”)

• Key points:
• ASL can put time words at the start (YESTERDAY).
• Pronouns can be shown by pointing in space instead of using words like “I/me/you”.

This shows how sign languages have independent grammars, not just signed English.

4. Quick Global Snapshot: Who Signs What?

Exact numbers of signers are hard to measure. Many governments do not collect detailed data, and not all users are Deaf (some are hearing family members, interpreters, or CODAs – Children of Deaf Adults).

Still, researchers and organizations like the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD) and Ethnologue give approximate figures. As of around 2024–2025:

> There are an estimated 70–120 million Deaf and hard-of-hearing people worldwide, but only a fraction use a national sign language fluently. Many face barriers to education and language access.

Below is a very rough top group of widely used sign languages (orders and numbers are approximate, not exact rankings):

• Indo-Pakistani Sign Language (IPSL) – Often cited in the range of 1–3 million users across India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and neighboring regions.
• Chinese Sign Language (CSL) – Estimates often reach into the hundreds of thousands to over a million.
• American Sign Language (ASL) – Common estimates: hundreds of thousands to over 1 million users across the US, parts of Canada, and some other countries.
• Brazilian Sign Language (Libras) – Officially recognized; commonly cited in the hundreds of thousands.
• Russian Sign Language (RSL) – Used across Russia and some neighboring countries; estimates also in the hundreds of thousands.
• Indonesian Sign Language (BISINDO and related varieties) – Significant user base, but data is limited.
• BSL, JSL, NZSL, SASL, LSM (Mexican Sign Language) – Generally tens of thousands to low hundreds of thousands each.

Important caution:

• Different sources may disagree by hundreds of thousands.
• Some countries have more than one sign language (e.g., Indonesia, India, some African countries).

In later steps, you’ll interpret a mini table of these languages and practice comparing them.

5. Regional Tour: Major Sign Languages by Area

Here’s a simplified “tour” of some widely used sign languages. The population ranges are approximate and meant for comparison, not exact counts.

1. North America

• ASL (American Sign Language)
• Used in: USA, Anglophone Canada, and influences in parts of West Africa and Southeast Asia.
• Family: ASL family (related historically to French Sign Language, LSF).
• Notes: Many Deaf schools and online content make ASL one of the most internationally visible sign languages.

• LSQ (Langue des signes québécoise)
• Used in: Quebec and some Francophone communities in Canada.
• Not just “French ASL”; it has its own structure and vocabulary.

2. Europe

• BSL (British Sign Language)
• Used in: UK.
• Family: BSL family (related to Auslan and NZSL).
• Status: Legally recognized in the UK (e.g., BSL Act 2022 in Great Britain, now several years old).

• Auslan (Australian Sign Language) & NZSL (New Zealand Sign Language)
• Used in: Australia, New Zealand.
• Family: Closely related to BSL (often grouped as BANZSL: British, Australian, New Zealand Sign Language).
• Status: NZSL is an official language of New Zealand.

• LGP (Portuguese Sign Language), LSF (French Sign Language), DGS (German Sign Language), etc.
• Each has its own grammar and lexicon, even if spoken languages are related.

3. South Asia

• IPSL (Indo-Pakistani Sign Language)
• Used in: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and sometimes in Nepal and other neighboring regions.
• Users: Often estimated in the low millions, making it one of the largest sign languages by population.
• Variation: Strong regional and school-based variation; some researchers treat it as a cluster of closely related sign languages.

4. East Asia

• CSL (Chinese Sign Language)
• Used in: Mainland China; Hong Kong and Taiwan have different sign languages (HKSL, TSL).
• Variation: Different regional varieties (e.g., Shanghai vs. Beijing).

• JSL (Japanese Sign Language)
• Used in: Japan.
• Note: Distinct from Signed Japanese (a manually coded form of spoken Japanese).

5. Latin America

• Libras (Brazilian Sign Language)
• Used in: Brazil.
• Status: Officially recognized since 2002; policies and interpreter training have expanded since then.

• LSM (Mexican Sign Language)
• Used in: Mexico.
• Not just “ASL in Mexico”; it has its own history.

6. Africa

• SASL (South African Sign Language)
• Used in: South Africa.
• Status: In 2023, SASL was added as an official language of South Africa’s Constitution (recent in 2026 terms).
• Variation: Regional and school-based differences, but strong movement to standardize and recognize it.

• Other countries may use local sign languages or varieties influenced by ASL, French Sign Language, or BSL (e.g., parts of West and East Africa).

6. Matching Exercise: Who Signs What?

Use this as a thought exercise. Without looking back, try to match each country/region to the most appropriate primary sign language listed.

Write your answers in a notebook or in your head, then check by scrolling back if you want.

Countries/regions:

1. Brazil
2. India & Pakistan
3. UK
4. USA & Anglophone Canada
5. South Africa
6. Japan
7. Australia & New Zealand

Sign languages (unordered):

• ASL
• BSL
• SASL
• Libras
• JSL
• IPSL
• Auslan & NZSL

Your task:

1. Pause and try to match each number (country/region) with a sign language from the list.
2. Then check:

• 1 → Libras
• 2 → IPSL
• 3 → BSL
• 4 → ASL
• 5 → SASL
• 6 → JSL
• 7 → Auslan & NZSL

Reflection question:

• Which match surprised you the most, and why?
• Did any country use a sign language you didn’t expect?

7. Regional and National Variation Inside One Sign Language

Just like spoken languages, sign languages have dialects and accents.

Types of variation

• Regional variation: Signs differ between cities or regions.
• Generational variation: Older and younger signers may use different signs.
• School-based variation: Different Deaf schools develop their own signs.

Examples

• ASL
• The sign for “HALLOWEEN” can be produced in more than one way (e.g., hands covering eyes like a mask vs. other local variants).
• Some signs differ between US and Canadian Deaf communities using ASL.

• BSL
• Numbers, days of the week, and place names can vary between Scotland, England, and Wales.

• IPSL
• Within India, different states or schools may have distinct signs for basic concepts like FAMILY or WATER.

• SASL
• Historically, different schools for the Deaf in South Africa used varying sign systems; people who attended different schools may sign slightly differently.

Why this matters

• When interpreting statistics (like “X people use IPSL”), remember that this can cover many local varieties.
• Deaf people often code-switch between varieties depending on who they are talking to, just like bilingual or bidialectal speakers do.

In the next step, you’ll practice reading a mini data table that includes this idea of variation.

8. Reading a Mini Data Table

Below is a simplified, approximate table of some major sign languages. Numbers are rough ranges to practice interpretation, not official counts.

| Sign language | Main regions used | Very rough user range | Notes on variation |

|---------------|-------------------|------------------------|--------------------|

| IPSL | India, Pakistan, Bangladesh | 1–3 million | Many regional & school-based varieties |

| CSL | Mainland China | 0.5–1.5 million | Strong regional differences (e.g., Shanghai vs. Beijing) |

| ASL | USA, Anglophone Canada, some others | 0.5–1+ million | Regional variation; influence from Deaf schools |

| Libras | Brazil | Hundreds of thousands | Regional signs, growing standardization |

| RSL | Russia & neighbors| Hundreds of thousands | Regional dialects across large territory |

| BSL | UK | Tens to low hundreds of thousands | Dialects across England, Scotland, Wales |

| JSL | Japan | Tens to low hundreds of thousands | Differences between regions & age groups |

| NZSL | New Zealand | Tens of thousands | Related to BSL/Auslan, but with local signs |

| SASL | South Africa | Tens to low hundreds of thousands | Many school-based varieties |

Your tasks (thinking only):

1. Identify the outliers:

• Which sign language in the table has the largest estimated range?
• Which has one of the smallest?

1. Compare two languages:

• Pick ASL and IPSL.
• Which one has a larger estimated user base according to this table?
• What might explain that difference (think: population size of the region, number of schools, recognition)?

1. Variation question:

• Every row mentions variation.
• How might this variation affect:
• a) Designing a national sign language dictionary?
• b) Training interpreters who work across regions?

Take 2–3 minutes to think or jot down answers before moving on.

9. Check Understanding: Families and Geography

Answer this multiple-choice question to check your understanding of how sign languages relate to spoken languages and geography.

10. Review Terms

Flip through these key terms and definitions to review what you’ve learned.