NZSL

210,000 hearing impaired NZers
28,000 people use NZSL, approx. 5,000 are Deaf
Deaf Association of NZ has sought official recognition for the past 20 years
Indigenous language of New Zealand

Media Statement Hon Ruth Dyson

Government has signalled intention to recognize NZSL as the ‘third’ official language of NZ

• Acknowledge NZSL as unique NZ language and give it the status of spoken languages
• Help decrease injustices experienced by Deaf people
• Acknowledge right to use NZSL in any legal proceedings, with further developments proceeding gradually into education, health, employment, and public broadcasting

Maori focus

Increase likelihood of being able to use NZSL at hui, marae, tangi
Increase access to Maori language and culture, including whakapapa

Benefits

DEAF
     recognition of their language

Parents of Deaf Children
     –officially recognised tool for inclusion of Deaf family members in family and community life

Society
     greater participation in, and contribution to NZ society by Deaf New Zealanders.
     Greater appreciation of Deaf people’s culture, including their language

Obligations on the public sector -none

NZSL

• Language -system of communication able to express a full range of ideas and to serve a wide range of functions
• Visual (symbols are signed)
• Indigenous to New Zealand

Facts about Sign Languages

• Sign language is not universal
• Sign language is as complex as any other language
      Symbols (signs)
      Grammar
       Extensive Vocabulary

Deaf Community -Multilingual

English and/or other languages
     reading/writing
     lip reading (oralist tradition)
     Finger-spelling (?)

NZSL
     Signing
     Initialisation (first letter of English word plus lip-pattern cue) (e.g., days of the week)