German Sign Language family

German Sign Language
Geographic distribution:	Europe
Linguistic classification:	One of the world's sign language families
Subdivisions:	German Sign Polish Sign Israeli Sign
Glottolog:	`dgsi1234`^[1]

The German Sign Language family is a small language family of sign languages, including German Sign Language, Polish Sign Language and probably Israeli Sign Language.^[2] The latter also had influence from Austrian Sign Language, which is unrelated, and the parentage is not entirely clear.

References

↑ Nordhoff, Sebastian; Hammarström, Harald; Forkel, Robert; Haspelmath, Martin, eds. (2013). "DGSic". Glottolog. Leipzig: Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology.
↑ Wittmann, Henri (1991). "Classification linguistique des langues signées non vocalement." Revue québécoise de linguistique théorique et appliquée 10:1.215–88.

List of primary language families

Africa

Isolates	Bangime Hadza Jalaa Sandawe ?Laal

Europe and Asia

Isolates	Basque Burushaski Elamite Hattic Kusunda Nihali Nivkh Sumerian Hruso? Miju? Puroik?

Sign languages	British French German Japanese Swedish Chinese Indo-Pakistani Arab Chiangmai–Bangkok Other sign languages

New Guinea
and the Pacific

Isolates	Abinomn Busa Kaure Kol Kuot Porome Pyu Taiap Yalë Abun? Amberbaken? Dem? Hattam? Isirawa? Lepki? Kapori? Kosare? Massep? Murkim? Pawaia? Sulka? Waia?

Australia

Isolates	Giimbiyu Malak-Malak Marrgu Tiwi Wagiman

North America

Isolates	Chimariko Haida Karuk Kutenai Siuslaw Takelma Timucua Waikuri Washo Yana Yuchi Zuni

Mesoamerica

Isolates	Cuitlatec Huave Seri Tarascan/Purépecha

South America

Isolates (extant in 2000)	Aikanã? Andoque? Camsá Candoshi Chimane Chiquitano Cofán? Fulniô Guató Hodï/Joti Irantxe? Itonama Karajá Kawésqar Krenak Leco Maku of Roraima Movima Mura-Pirahã Nukak? Ofayé Puinave Rikbaktsa Huaorani Trumai Urarina Warao Yamana Yuracaré

See also

Families in bold are the largest. Families in italics have no living members.

Sign language

By region^[a]

Sign languages by region

Australia	Australia: Auslan, Warlpiri, Australian Aboriginal Hawaii New Zealand Solomon Islands: Rennellese

Asia	Chinese Philippine Indonesia: Indonesian, Kata Kolok (Benkala, Balinese) Indo-Pakistani Israel: Al-Sayyid Bedouin, Israeli Japanese Korean Malaysia: Malaysian, Penang, Selangor Mongolian Nepal: Ghandruk, Jhankot, Jumla, Nepalese Persian Saudi Arabia: Saudi Singapore Sri Lankan Taiwanese Thailand: Ban Khor, Thai Vietnamese

Africa	Algerian Ghana: Adamorobe Kenyan Mali: Tebul Nigeria: Bura, Hausa Senegal: Mbour Somalia & Djibouti: Somali South African Tanzanian Ugandan Zambian

Europe	Armenian Austrian Belgium: Flemish, French Belgian British Croatian Danish Dutch Estonian Finnish France: Lyons, French German Greek Hungarian Icelandic Irish Italian Kosovar Lithuanian Macedonian Northern Ireland Norwegian Polish Portuguese Russian Slovenian Spain: Catalan, Spanish, Valencian Swedish Swiss Turkish

North America	Canada: Maritime, Providence Island, Quebec, Inuit Mexico: Mayan, Mexican United States: American, Plains Indian, Plateau

South America	Argentine Bolivian Brasil: Brazilian, Ka'apor Chilean Colombian Ecuadorian Guatemalan: Guatemalan, Mayan Honduras Nicaraguan Paraguayan Peruvian Salvadoran Uruguayan Venezuelan

International	BANZSL International Sign (Gestuno) Makaton Monastic Signalong

Language families^[a]

Australian Aboriginal (List)
British (List)
Danish (List)
French (List)
German (List)
Japanese (List)
Indo-Pakistani (List)
Swedish (List)
Arab (List)
Isolates (List)

American Sign Language

Extinct sign languages

Martha's Vineyard
Old French
Old Kent
Rennellese (nearly)
Maritime (nearly)
Hawaiʻi (nearly)

Linguistics

Grammar (ASL)
Bimodal bilingualism
Cherology
Handshape, Location, Orientation, Movement, Expression
Mouthing
Name signs

Fingerspelling

Writing

Language contact

Media

Films (list)
Television programs (list)

Persons

Organisations

Miscellaneous

^a Sign-language names reflect the region of origin. Natural sign languages are not related to the spoken language used in the same region. For example, French Sign Language originated in France, but is not related to French.