Quebec Sign Language
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Quebec Sign Language Langue des signes québécoise, LSQ |
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|---|---|---|
| Signed in: | Canada | |
| Region: | Concentrated in Quebec, but with signers in other Canadian urban centres | |
| Total signers: | 50,000–60,000 (2000 SIL) | |
| Language family: | Related to both French Sign Language and American Sign Language | |
| Language codes | ||
| ISO 639-1: | none | |
| ISO 639-2: | sgn-CA-QC | |
| ISO/FDIS 639-3: | fcs | |
| sign language — list of sign languages — legal recognition | ||
Quebec Sign Language, known in French as Langue des signes québécoise and typically abbreviated LSQ, is a sign language used in Canada. Most LSQ users are located in Quebec, but a few are scattered in major cities in the rest of the country.
LSQ is closely related to both American Sign Language and French Sign Language. Due to segregation by gender in deaf education, males and females use slightly different forms of LSQ. The female form was influenced more by ASL while the male form was more influenced by LSF. Although ASL is used in Anglophone parts of Quebec, it is unusual for a deaf child to learn both ASL and LSQ.
Although approximately 10% of the population of Quebec is deaf or hearing impaired, it is estimated that only 50,000 to 60,000 children use LSQ as their native language.
During televised proceedings of the Canadian House of Commons, an LSQ translation of what is being said can usually be seen at the top-right corner of the screen.
