Hong Kong Sign Language

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A language of Hong Kong

ISO 639-3
hks
Alternate Names
HKSL, Heung Kong Sau Yue
User Population

8,000 in China–Hong Kong (2021 DBS/DOOR/SIL). Estimated based on 0.1% of total population. Another estimate: 3,900 (2014 Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, HKSAR). Total users in all countries: 8,200.

Location

Scattered.

Language Maps
Language Status

6a (Vigorous).

Classification
Sign language, Deaf community sign language
Dialects

None known. 40% similarity with Chinese Sign Language [csl], 42%–52% similarity with Taiwan Sign Language [tss].

Language Use

Vigorous. All domains. Used by all. Positive attitudes. Some also use English [eng]. Some also use Mandarin Chinese [cmn].

Language Development

Literacy rate in L2: 70%–80% in written Chinese. Dictionary.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Hong Kong Sign Language
Other Comments

Most education of deaf children is in mainstream programs. Deaf schools converted to oralist instruction starting in the 1960s, and most have since closed. One experimental sign-bilingual program operated by The Chinese University of Hong Kong, with both deaf and hearing students. 51 registered sign language interpreters (Gan 2019).

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