In this article we will explore Vietnamese sign languages, a topic of great relevance today that impacts various areas of study and that has generated broad interest in the academic community and society in general. Vietnamese sign languages represents a crucial point to understand the functioning of different phenomena, from a historical, scientific, social or cultural perspective. Through detailed analysis, we will examine each relevant aspect of Vietnamese sign languages, exploring its implications, its evolution over time, as well as possible solutions or approaches to address this challenge. This article aims to offer a comprehensive, critical and reflective vision about Vietnamese sign languages, in an effort to provide knowledge and generate an informed debate on this important topic.
Vietnamese Sign | |
---|---|
Geographic distribution | Vietnam |
Linguistic classification | deaf-community sign languages; possibly related to other sign languages of SE Asia |
Subdivisions | |
Glottolog | haho1238 (Ha-Hoic) haip1238 (Haiphong Sign Language) |
The three deaf-community sign languages indigenous to Vietnam are found in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and Haiphong. The HCMC and Hanoi languages especially have been influenced by the French Sign Language (LSF) once taught in schools, and have absorbed a large amount of LSF vocabulary.
The Vietnamese languages are part of a sign language area that includes indigenous sign languages of Laos and Thailand, though it is not known if they are genealogically related to each other. The influence of LSF may have obscured the links: the highest cognacy is with Haiphong Sign, which has been the least influenced by LSF.
There are attempts to develop a national standard language, Vietnamese Sign Language.