International Day of Sign Languages

Many deaf people use sign language to communicate with others. Lots of hearing people use sign language too. The International Day of Sign Languages is a special day to celebrate all the different sign languages around the world and the people that use them.

What is sign language?

When people use sign language, they communicate with body movements. They move their hands and fingers, and make shapes with them to make words and phrases. The face is also very important in sign languages. Facial expressions can show how the person feels, like happy, scared or surprised. They show other things too. For example, in American Sign Language (ASL), you raise your eyebrow to ask a question or use your mouth to show if something is big or small.

How many sign languages are there?

There are more than 70 million deaf people in the world, and there are around 300 different sign languages. Different countries have their own sign language. For example, in the United Kingdom, people use British Sign Language (BSL). Around 151,000 people in the UK use BSL at home, and about 87,000 of them are deaf.

Why do people use sign language?

Lots of deaf people use sign language to communicate ideas, information and emotions with others. Many of them feel most comfortable using sign language, and it's an important part of their identity. Hearing people often learn sign language when they want to communicate better with deaf family members, friends or classmates and help make them feel more included and understood.

What is the International Day of Sign Languages?

The International Day of Sign Languages began in 2018, and it's now celebrated on 23 September every year. Just like spoken languages, sign languages have their own vocabulary and grammar, and this special day helps us learn more about them. It's also a day to support everyone around the world who uses sign languages.

What can I do on the International Day of Sign Languages?

You could find some videos online and learn some basic signs. Try to learn how to sign 'hello', 'How are you?' or 'What's your name?' Learning sign language is really useful, and it's great fun too!