[TEACHASL] Sign Language Family Map

Thu Feb 6 21:45:37 UTC 2014

In the places where this BSL-SSL link is mentioned (often online, e.g.
Wikipedia), it is usually cited as Wittman (1991), but I don't understand
why he sorted SSL under BSL in the first place. Mesch (2006) did a lexical
comparison study between SSL and BSL, and found that a 35 % similarity (as
opposed to 60 % for SSL and FinSL, for which there is a known historical
link). Bergman & Engberg-Pedersen (2010) should be the go-to reference for
a summary of the history of SSL (as well as DSL and FinSL).

The Ethnologue lists 137 SLs under a joint category called "Deaf sign
language", but under each entry you can (hopefully) find listings of
relatedness/similarities with other SLs. I can't tell how accurate they all
are, though: https://www.ethnologue.com/subgroups/deaf-sign-language

Bergman, Brita & Elisabeth Engberg-Pedersen. 2010. Transmission of sign
languages in the nordic countries. In Diane Brentari (ed.), *Sign
languages: A Cambridge language survey*, 74-94. New York, NY: Cambridge
University Press.

Mesch, Johanna. 2006. Påminner nationella teckenspråk om varandra? In Karin
Hoyer, Monica Londen & Jan-Ola Östman (eds.), *Teckenspråk: Sociala och
historiska perspektiv*, 71-95. Helsinki: Nordica, Institutionen för
nordiska språk och nordisk litteratur, Helsingfors universitet.

Wittman, Henri. 1991. Classification linguistique des langues signees non
vocalement. *Revue québécoise de linguistique théorique et
appliquée*10(1). 215-288.

Calle Börstell
PhD student
Dept. of Linguistics
Stockholm University

2014-02-06 22:02 GMT+01:00 Adam Schembri <A.Schembri at latrobe.edu.au>:

>   Yes, this chart has been making the rounds online. I'm not aware of any
> evidence for a relationship between BSL and Swedish Sign Language (can
> anyone here explain why it is listed under BSL?), and the degree of
> relationship with the other sign languages here varies considerably. Auslan
> appears to be missing from this chart (Australia should be listed along
> with New Zealand).
> Adam
>  --
>
>  Assoc. Prof. Adam Schembri, PhD https://latrobe.academia.edu/AdamSchembri
> Linguistics program | Department of Languages, Histories and Cultures | Faculty
> of Humanities and Social Sciences | La Trobe University | Melbourne
> (Bundoora) | Victoria |  3086 |  Australia |Tel : +61 3 9479 2887 | Mob: +61
> 432 840 744 | Twitter: @AdamCSchembri | Director, Centre for Research on
> Language Diversity http://www.latrobe.edu.au/crld & Linguistics
> Discipline Research Program| Sign Language Linguistics Society:
> http://www.slls.eu | ALLY Network Member supporting GLBTIQ students and
> staff:  www.latrobe.edu.au/equality/ally
> http://www.latrobe.edu.au/equality/ally
>
>   From: Miako Rankin <miako.rankin at GALLAUDET.EDU>
> Reply-To: linguists interested in signed languages <
> SLLING-L at LISTSERV.VALENCIACOLLEGE.EDU>
> Date: Thu, 6 Feb 2014 09:57:09 -0500
> To: <SLLING-L at LISTSERV.VALENCIACOLLEGE.EDU>
> Subject: Re: [TEACHASL] Sign Langauge Family Map
>
>   I've seen this one going around (attached, hope you can see it - if
> not, try this link:
> https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=721650357845504&set=pb.130754623601750.-2207520000.1391698382.&type=3&theater).
> Googled "sign language family tree" and this was the one that came up. No
> idea where it came from or what kind of accuracy it has. Someone's name is
> at the bottom but it's too small for me to make it out.
> Would love to see a linguistically accurate/inclusive/nuanced one.
>  --Miako
>
>
>  On Feb 6, 2014, at 9:40 AM, "Adam Frost" <adam at FROSTVILLAGE.COM> wrote:
>
>  This was a question on the TeachASL list. She is asking for a sign
> language family map. Does anyone know where to find a good one?
>
>  Adam
>
>
> Begin forwarded message:
>
>  *From:* "Heather Berry" <heatherraeberry at YAHOO.COM>
> *Date:* February 6, 2014 at 6:36:07 AM PST
> *To:* TEACHASL at LISTSERV.VALENCIACOLLEGE.EDU
> *Subject:* *[TEACHASL] Sign Langauge Family Map*
> *Reply-To:* "Heather Berry" <heatherraeberry at yahoo.com>
>
>   My students are working on Signing Naturally the country unit and
> picking different countries to research what the Deaf community is like.  I
> had a student ask if there are families of sign just like there are
> families of spoken language, ie romance languages etc.  I know there are
> but I am looking for some sort of visual or map that illustrates this in an
> easy to understand format. I know these exist for spoken language.  Does
> anyone know if something like this exists for sign?
> Thanks!
> Heather
>
>
>
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