Sign Language in Australia: International Day of Sign Languages

Today is the International Day of Sign Languages. While most people are aware that sign language (visual-manual coded language) exists, many are under the impression that “sign language” is a universal language. It is estimated that there are over 200 individual sign languages in the world. Many of these include dialects / regional differences. Sign languages are considered by linguists to be natural languages, in that they have emerged and developed organically. Sign language is…