Lithuanian Sign Language
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A language of Lithuania
Alternate Names
LGK, Lietuvių gestų kalba, Lietuviu gestu kalba, LtSL
User Population
8,000 (2021 EUD). Approximately 0.3% of total population. Another estimate: 14,500 (2014 IMB).
Location
Scattered.
Language Status
5 (Developing). Recognized language (2011, Law on Education, No. XI-1281, Article 30(6), as amended).
Dialects
Some lexical variation, with attempts at standardization (Kupcinskas 1999). Influence from Russian Sign Language [rsl] from 1945 until 1990. Some degree of mutual intelligibility with sign languages in other former Soviet countries, with ongoing tendency to diverge from Russian Sign Language [rsl] (2016 S. Parkhurst).
Typology
One-handed fingerspelling.
Language Use
Vigorous. Used by all. Also use Lithuanian [lit].
Language Development
TV. Theater. Videos. Dictionary. Grammar. Bible portions: 2018. Agency: Lithuanian Deaf Association (Lietuvos kurčiųjų draugija, LKD).
Deaf schools. Deaf associations. Fingerspelling system similar to French Sign Language [fsl]. Video remote interpreting service launched in 2012. 111 working sign language interpreters (2021 EUD). Christian.