New Zealand Sign Language

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{{language |name=New Zealand Sign Language |nativename=NZSL |familycolor=Sign |states=New Zealand |fam1=BANZSL |iso2=sgn-NZ |iso3=nzs}} New Zealand Sign Language or NZSL is the main language of the deaf community in New Zealand. It became an official language of New Zealand in April 2006, alongside Māori and New Zealand English.

New Zealand Sign Language has its roots in British Sign Language (BSL), and may be technically considered a dialect of British, Australian and New Zealand Sign Language (BANZSL).

It uses the same two-handed manual alphabet as British Sign Language and Auslan, Australian Sign Language.

1 New Zealand Sign Language in action
2 Official language status
3 Dialects
4 References

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New Zealand Sign Language in action

Interpreters are sometimes used at public performances, such as the Classical Sparks and Starry Nights events held in Christchurch, to communicate to people who cannot hear what the Masters or Mistresses of Ceremonies are saying.

Interpreters cannot translate every single word people say, so some words are missed out or abbreviated to cope with the speed. Not every word has a sign, so there is a need for fingerspelling. Also, some of the words are fingerspelt to avoid confusion - June and July, for example. Fingerspelling is also required when a sign is not understood by the deaf person. The reader concentrates on the facial expression and lip-reads the word while using peripheral vision to read the fingers.

The syntax (structure of sentences) is different in NZSL from that of English. For example, "what's your name" in English is "you name what" in NZSL.

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Official language status

NZSL became the third official language of New Zealand in April 2006, joining English and Māori. The parliamentary bill to approve this passed its third reading on April 6 2006<ref>"Recognition for sign language", TVNZ</ref>. At the first reading in Parliament, on June 22, 2004, the bill was supported by all political parties. It was referred to the Justice and Electoral Committee, which reported back to the House on July 18, 2005. The second reading passed 119 to 2 on February 23, 2006 with only the ACT party opposing. <ref>New Zealand Sign Language Bill</ref>

The bill received Royal Assent, a constitutional formality, on 10 April 2006.<ref name="assent">Governor-General gives assent to Sign Language Bill, Press Release: Governor General, 10 April 2006. Retrieved 11 April 2006.</ref> New Zealand Sign Language became an official language of New Zealand the day after Royal Assent.

The use of NZSL as a valid medium of instruction has not always been accepted by the Government, the Association of Teachers of the Deaf, and many parents. However, in light of much research into its validity as a language and much advocacy by deaf adults, parents of deaf children (both hearing and deaf) and educationalists, NZSL has since become — in tandem with English — part of the bilingual/bicultural approach used in public schools (including Kelston Deaf Education Centre and Van Asch Deaf Education Centre) since 1994. Victoria University of Wellington has courses in New Zealand Sign Language, although it has yet to develop a major program for it.

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Dialects

Differences in lexicon in New Zealand Sign Language have largely developed through the student communities surrounding four schools for the deaf in New Zealand: