Nicaraguan Sign Language
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A language of Nicaragua
ISO 639-3
Alternate Names
Idioma de Señas de Nicaragua, Lengua de Signos Nicaragüense, Lenguaje de Signos Nicaragüense
Population
3,000 (1997 ANSNIC).
Location
Scattered, especially Managua.
Language Status
5 (Developing).
Classification
Dialects
None known. Isolate, unrelated to other sign languages.
Language Use
Vigorous. Increasing use among hearing people. Used by all. Also use Spanish [spa].
Language Development
Taught in primary and secondary schools. Literature. Videos. Dictionary. Agency: Asociación Nacional de Sordos de Nicaragua (ANSNIC).
Language Resources
Writing
Unwritten documents [Zxxx].
Emerged around 1980 among deaf children at newly-established schools in Managua (Senghas and Coppola 2011), with gradually increasing complexity since then. One school has taught literacy using SignWriting, but this is not in widespread use.