What is New Zealand Sign Language?
New Zealand Sign Language is a distinct and natural language of New Zealand. It is a language used primarily by New Zealand’s Deaf community members and by those who are affiliated to this community in some way (for example, hearing people who have Deaf relatives or people who work with Deaf people, such as sign language interpreters).
Like other signed languages, NZSL is a visual-gestural language that uses the hands, the body, and facial expressions (including lip patterns) to express meaning and the eyes to perceive meaning. This is in contrast to aural-oral languages, which use the voice and mouth to articulate and the ears to perceive (Moskovitz, 1996). An important aspect of NZSL is that signers are able, by using space, to show multiple ideas simultaneously (for example, one hand can be used to show a person approaching someone at the same time as the other hand shows the other person sitting down). This is not possible in spoken language, which is linear in construction.
NZSL is a complete language with its own grammar, vocabulary, and syntax. Like any language, whether spoken or signed, NZSL is potentially capable of communicating an infinite number of ideas. It is not a variety of mime, nor is it a manual code for English. NZSL is closely related to British Sign Language (BSL), which was brought to New Zealand by immigrants, and to Australian Sign Language (AUSLAN), which also has its origins in BSL.
Many people who are unfamiliar with signed languages assume that there is a single universal sign language used by deaf people all over the world. Although many signed languages share similar origins (as do many spoken languages), each is a distinct, natural language that evolves with time to meet the needs of the population that uses it. However, Deaf people who are experienced users of their own language are probably more likely to be able to communicate with users of other signed languages than those who are not, because such features as grammatical constructions are often shared between signed languages. Experienced users are also likely to be quick to pick up the differences between the new signed language and their own language (for example, where the new language uses a one-handed rather than a two-handed alphabet). They can assimilate new language features into their own vocabulary much more quickly than inexperienced signers can.
Regional variations in NZSL
NZSL has developed different vocabulary in different regions within New Zealand. This can be attributed, in part, to the influences of the teaching staff at each Deaf school, whose vocabulary may vary because they have been exposed to different signed languages during their lives. Another reason for differences in vocabulary is historical. In the past, signing was not openly encouraged in schools and New Zealand Deaf children used it “underground”. This also contributed to the formation of isolated groups of signers who developed their own vocabulary over time. Since Deaf people now travel more and are less inhibited in their use of sign language in public, there may be fewer variations in future. The publication of A Dictionary of New Zealand Sign Language (Kennedy, Arnold, Dugdale, and Moskovitz, 1997) and the introduction of bilingual programmes at both Kelston Deaf Education Centre and van Asch Deaf Education Centre may also contribute to an increasing standardisation of NZSL nationally.