Chinese Sign Language: How Does It Differ From The Rest?

The Chinese government has gone the extra mile to come up with a standardized sign language for the entire country. If you are wondering why that fact is being repeatedly stressed, there are reasons.

Here are some stats about the Chinese language:

• It is perceived as one of the most difficult languages to master.
• The language has various dialects that differ with the region.
• There are tens of thousands of characters in the language.
• It has the most number of similar sounding words.
• It is a tonal language.

So, if you go by the above facts, it is truly a daunting task to conceive a sign language that will be suitable for all. Nevertheless, the Standardized Chinese sign language is designed to serve as a lingua franca.

Features of the Standardized Sign Language

• The Chinese sign language is subject to regional variations.
• The differences in the sign language are similar to the dialects in Northern China.
• Chinese sign language or CSL uses a combination of hand and finger signs along with emotional expressions.
• The National List Of Common Words For Universal Sign Language has 5000 words that are commonly used to help Chinese with hearing disabilities to communicate more effectively.

Protecting Those With Hearing Disabilities

Sign language in China dates back to thousands of years ago. The country has plenty of historic records of sign languages in various forms. Given the complicated and intricate nature of the language it is a sensible step to conceive a sign language that makes communication easy.

China is home to over 20 million people with hearing disabilities. The standardization of the sign language is an example of the Chinese government’s commitment to protecting and empowering the lives of the hearing impaired in the country.

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