Swiss-German Sign Language

Facts

  • Language: Swiss-German Sign Language
  • Alternate names: Natürliche Gebärde, Deutschschweizerische Gebärdensprache, DSGS
  • Language code: sgg
  • Language family: Deaf sign language (SIL classification)
  • Number of speakers: 5,500
  • Vulnerability: Endangered
  • Script: HamNoSys Notation. SignWriting.

More information:

    Some regional lexical variations in German areas tied to specific schools. Status of signing is improving. Strong oralist tradition in schools in German area.

    "The sign language used in German Switzerland, DSGS, is similar to the sign language used in the southern parts of Germany, LSF-SR to the sign language used in France (LSF) and LIS-SI to Italian Sign Language (LIS). An interesting study that remains to be done is of the extent to which these Swiss sign languages could be considered regional dialects of the sign languages of these neighboring countries." (Boyes Braem and Rathmann 2010)