Is sign language in Australia the same as ASL?

 

Sign language in Australia comes from British Sign Language and Irish Sign Language, which means it’s a little different to American Sign Language (ASL for short). The main difference is that Auslan uses a two-handed alphabet, whereas ASL uses only the one hand. All languages are evolving, and in recent years, Auslan has begun to borrow signs from ASL, particularly those relating to new technologies, like the internet and e-mail.

Although it’s related to BSL, the grammar and vocabulary of Auslan differs quite a bit. In fact, Auslan is probably a lot more different to BSL than Australian English is to its British relative.

One of the things that makes sign language in Australia different from other places is the influence of Aboriginal sign languages, like Warlpiri. As the name suggests, it’s used by the Warlpiri people in the central desert region of Australia (more on this to follow). There’s also a difference between the Northern and Southern Auslan, particularly when it comes to things like colours and numbers, but the structures of these variants is largely the same.