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Japanese Sign Language

Japanese Sign Language. Moreover, you will find other useful resources about Japanese like words, schools, Japanese literature and more

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    • Japanese Sign Language

    Japanese Sign Language is a distinct sign language with unique vocabulary and grammar. It is related to Taiwanese and Korean sign languages. Temane is the former name. Over 95% of the deaf understand Japanese Sign Language, 80% understand finger spelling and TV. There are 107 deaf schools. The first school was in Kyoto in 1878. Similarly to the Pidgin Signed English and Signed English languages in the US, there are Pidgin Japanese and Manually Signed Japanese languages in Japan. The Pidgin Signed Japanese is different; Pidgin Signed Japanese is used often in formal situations, lectures, speeches.

    There are two kinds of sign language in Japan, a fact little known to most Japanese. One is called SimCom (Simultaneous Communication), used on formal occasions for interpreting or broadcasting purposes, while the other is called Japanese Sign Language (JSL), used for daily communication among the deaf.

    SimCom, developed by a person without hearing disabilities, translates ordinary Japanese grammar into sign language. JSL, however, is based on a different grammatical structure and employs the eyes, eyebrows and jaw as well as the hands and arms.

    Japanese Sign Language is not standardized at all. There are minor variations of signs and grammar from region to region and island to island.

    Only a minority of schools have sign language and most of time they use the Manual Sign Language over the preferred JSL. Recent changes in the Ministry of Education's policy are beginning to encourage more sign language use in the future.

    Finger spelling 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.

    Japanese Sign Language is becoming more popular with hearing people in Japan. There is a weekly television show that teaches JSL, and some news casts are open-captioned. There are plans for a new satellite TV station that will be dedicated to the deaf and hearing impaired.

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