A visual language used for communication by the deaf community in France, French Sign Language (LSF) is one of the oldest sign languages in the world. It has a rich history and has influenced other sign languages, particularly in former French colonies and regions with historical French influence.
Influence on Vietnamese Sign Languages
The three deaf-community sign languages indigenous to Vietnam are found in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and Haiphong. The HCMC and Hanoi languages especially have been influenced by the French Sign Language (LSF) once taught in schools, and have absorbed a large amount of LSF vocabulary.
- Haiphong Sign Language: Has been the least influenced by LSF, showing the highest cognacy with other indigenous sign languages in the region.
Regional Sign Language Area
The Vietnamese languages are part of a sign language area that includes indigenous sign languages of Laos and Thailand, though it is not known if they are genealogically related to each other. The influence of LSF may have obscured the links.
Development of a National Standard
There are attempts to develop a national standard language, Vietnamese Sign Language (Vietnamese: Ngôn ngữ ký hiệu Việt Nam). This effort aims to unify the diverse sign languages used across the country.