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AuslanAuslan is the sign language used by the Australian Deaf community. The term 'Auslan' is a blend of "Australian sign language", and was coined by Dr Trevor Johnston in the late 1980s, though the language itself is much older. Auslan is related to British Sign Language (BSL) and New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL), and the three may be considered dialects of the one language, BANZSL. They may also be related to South African Sign Language (SASL). Recognition of Auslan Auslan was recognised by the Australian Federal Government as a "community language other than English" in policy statements in 1987 and 1991 . However this recognition is yet to filter through to many institutions, government departments and professionals who work with deaf people. Auslan in relation to English Auslan is a natural language distinct from spoken or written English. Its (flexible) grammar and vocabulary often do not have direct English counterparts. English may be referred to as Auslan's host language, as the Deaf community, surrounded by English, inevitably draws from it. Signers make use of English words through fingerspelling. Some words are preferably fingerspelt even when there is an equivalent sign. Fingerspelling can also be used for emphasis, clarification, or (sometimes extensively) by English-speaking learners of Auslan. Some signs feature an English-word's initial letter (as a handshape from a manual alphabet) and use it within a sign. For example, the sign for "Canberra" resembles a "C" on a flagpole, while the sign for "team" uses "T" handshapes, but is otherwise the same as the sign for "group". It is difficult to sign in Auslan and speak in English at the same time, especially as both languages have their own grammar and words. However, mouthing of an English word together with a sign may serve to clarify when one sign may have several English translations. Signed English Signed English was an attempt to artificially create a sign language with English grammar, largely using signs from Auslan with some additional contrived signs and imports from American Sign Language (ASL). It was, and still is, used largely in education as an attempt to provide a visual analogy of English and its grammar for children. The usage of Signed English in schools is controversial in the Deaf community, who regard Signed English as being contrived and unnatural (see constructed language). Signed English has now been largely rejected by Deaf communities in Australia; however a number of its signs have made their way into normal usage. Written and recorded Auslan Auslan has no written form. Transcribing Auslan is largely an academic exercise. Auslan dictionaries use either photographs or drawings with motion arrows to describe signs, or CD-ROMs containing short video clips. Auslan signers generally read and write in English. Video has been used to record stories and jokes (etc), as these especially lose a lot when translated to English. Dialects of Auslan Auslan exhibits a high degree of variation, depending on the signer's age, educational background and geographic location. Auslan is usually regarded as having two dialects - Northern (Queensland and NSW), and Southern (Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia, and Western Australia). The vocabulary of the two dialects differs significantly, with different signs used even for very common concepts such as colors, animals, and days of the week; differences in grammar appear to be slight. However, communication between different varieties of Auslan poses little difficulty for most deaf Australians. Many of the regional differences are due to several different sign languages and dialects being used in the initial development of educational insitutes for the deaf in Australia. The first school for the deaf in NSW was established by a Scotsman, whereas in Victoria, the Victorian School for Deaf Children was founded by an Englishman, Frederick J Rose. Irish Sign Language also was of influence, being used in Catholic schools. The dialects are drawing closer together today due to the printing of Auslan dictionaries and increasing ease of travel within Australia. There seems to be little drive or need for any formal attempt at standardisation, as there is little difficulty in communication. Australian Aboriginal sign languages A number of Aboriginal sign languages exist in Australia such as Walpiri Sign Language. They occur in the southern, central, and western desert regions, coastal Arnhem Land, some islands of north coast, the western side of Cape York Peninsula, and on some Torres Strait Islands. Little research is available on these languages. They include: - Aranda (or Arunta) Sign Language
- Dieri Sign Language
- Djingili Sign Language
- Jaralde Sign Language
- Manjiljarra Sign Language
- Mudbura Sign Language
- Murngin Sign Language
- Ngada Sign Language
- Torres Straits Islander Sign Language
- Walpiri Walbiri Sign Language
- Warumungu Warramunga Sign Language
- Western Desert Sign Language (Yurira Watjalku)
- Worora Kinship Sign Language
(see this factsheet) External Links - AAD - Australian Association of the Deaf
- ASLIA - Australian Sign Language Interpreters Association
Bibliography - Lo Bianco, J. (1987). National Policy on Languages. Canberra: Australian Government Publishing Service.
- Dawkins, J (1991). Australia's Language: The Australian Language and Literacy Policy. Canberra: Australian Government Publishing Serice
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