Flemish Sign Language
Encyclopedia
Flemish Sign Language is the language used by signers in Flanders
, which is the northern part of Belgium
, a country in Western Europe. The Flemish Deaf community is estimated to include approximately 6,000 sign language
users (Loots et al., 2003).
) either directly (by having followed training programs in Paris) or indirectly (by having followed training programs in two deaf schools in The Netherlands; Groningen and Sint-Michielsgestel
which were themselves influenced by the Paris school.
However, as with neighboring countries, the education of deaf children was strongly influenced by the resolutions that took place
at the Milan Conference in 1880. These resolutions banned the use of signs in the education of
deaf children in favour of an oral approach. It has been viewed as a dark day in the history of sign language.
By the beginning of the 20th century there was a Deaf school in every major town in Flanders, and in some towns there were even two: one for boys and one for girls. Most of the schools were residential schools and pupils only went home during the holidays and later on also during the weekends. As a result, regional sign language varieties started to develop around every school.
West Flanders, East Flanders
, Antwerp
,
Flemish Brabant
, and Limburg
(De Weerdt et al., 2003).
Next to the differences between the regions, there is intra-regional variation. One example is gender
related variation. Until the 1970s, there were separate schools for Deaf boys and girls and this has led to gender variation: some of the signs which are generally used today were boys’ signs or girls’ signs in origin. There are of course more reasons for the relatively high degree of intra-regional variation.
At the moment there is no standardized
sign language in Flanders, although there is an on-going process of spontaneous standardization (mostly due to increasing contacts between Deaf people from different regions).
Belgium
during the last two or three decades. Today every Belgian belongs to a certain linguistic group and the same goes for Deaf people. Ironically they are also considered Flemish or Walloon
, part of the linguistic
majority of speakers of Dutch or French, despite the sign language they use and the linguistic minority to which they belong.
The federalization was a fact in 1993, but this was of course the result of a long process.
In the 1970s, the national Deaf federation, NAVEKADOS, split up into a Flemish and a Walloon federation and Fevlado (Federatie van Vlaamse Dovenorganisaties or the Association of Flemish Deaf Organizations) was founded in 1977.
As a result, cultural activities have been organized separately since then, and the Flemish and the Walloon deaf clubs have been subsidized from different sources. Contacts between Flemish and Walloon Deaf people have become less and less frequent and this has had its effect on the development of the sign languages in both communities which are deviating from each other as they go through separate standardization processes.
Therefore, the name for the sign language has changed over time from "Belgian Sign Language", to "Flemish-Belgian Sign Language", to the now preferred "Flemish Sign Language" on the Flemish side, and to "French Belgian Sign Language" or to "Walloon Sign Language" on the other.
the Flemish Sign Language as a language in Flanders. The decree
consists of three major parts:
Recognition:The Flemish Sign Language is recognised as a language in Flanders and Brussels-Capital Region.
Advisory committee:An advisory committee on the Flemish Sign Language is instated, with a maximum of fifteen members, half of which have to be Deaf. Advise can be requested by the Flemish Government or the Flemish Parliament, but the committee can also formulate advises autonomously.
Knowledge and information centre:The decree arranges the recognition of a knowledge and information centre which has to: coordinate and stimulate linguistic research, support the further development of VGT, develop educational tools for use in teaching VGT and be the first point of contact.
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
, which is the northern part of Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, a country in Western Europe. The Flemish Deaf community is estimated to include approximately 6,000 sign language
Sign language
A sign language is a language which, instead of acoustically conveyed sound patterns, uses visually transmitted sign patterns to convey meaning—simultaneously combining hand shapes, orientation and movement of the hands, arms or body, and facial expressions to fluidly express a speaker's...
users (Loots et al., 2003).
History
When in Flanders the first deaf schools were erected the teachers were influenced by the method used at the Paris deaf school (and consequently also French Sign LanguageFrench Sign Language
French Sign Language is the sign language of the deaf in the nation of France. According to Ethnologue, it has 50,000 to 100,000 native signers....
) either directly (by having followed training programs in Paris) or indirectly (by having followed training programs in two deaf schools in The Netherlands; Groningen and Sint-Michielsgestel
Sint-Michielsgestel
Sint-Michielsgestel is a municipality and a town in the southern part of the Netherlands.Sint-Michielsgestel is located directly south of 's-Hertogenbosch, the capital of North Brabant province. Its name refers to archangel St...
which were themselves influenced by the Paris school.
However, as with neighboring countries, the education of deaf children was strongly influenced by the resolutions that took place
at the Milan Conference in 1880. These resolutions banned the use of signs in the education of
deaf children in favour of an oral approach. It has been viewed as a dark day in the history of sign language.
By the beginning of the 20th century there was a Deaf school in every major town in Flanders, and in some towns there were even two: one for boys and one for girls. Most of the schools were residential schools and pupils only went home during the holidays and later on also during the weekends. As a result, regional sign language varieties started to develop around every school.
Regional Variation
It is now generally accepted and confirmed by research, that Flemish Sign Language consists of five regional varieties which have developed in and around the different Flemish deaf schools:West Flanders, East Flanders
East Flanders
East Flanders is a province of Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium. It borders on the Netherlands and in Belgium on the provinces of Antwerp, Flemish Brabant , of Hainaut and of West Flanders...
, Antwerp
Antwerp (province)
Antwerp is the northernmost province both of the Flemish Region, also called Flanders, and of Belgium. It borders on the Netherlands and the Belgian provinces of Limburg, Flemish Brabant and East Flanders. Its capital is Antwerp which comprises the Port of Antwerp...
,
Flemish Brabant
Flemish Brabant
Flemish Brabant is a province of Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium. It borders on the Belgian provinces of Antwerp, Limburg, Liège, Walloon Brabant, Hainaut and East Flanders. Flemish Brabant also completely surrounds the Brussels-Capital Region. Its capital is Leuven...
, and Limburg
Limburg (Belgium)
Limburg is the easternmost province of modern Flanders, which is one of the three main political and cultural sub-divisions of modern Belgium. It is located west of the river Meuse . It borders on the Dutch provinces of North Brabant and Limburg and the Belgian provinces of Liège, Flemish Brabant...
(De Weerdt et al., 2003).
Next to the differences between the regions, there is intra-regional variation. One example is gender
Gender
Gender is a range of characteristics used to distinguish between males and females, particularly in the cases of men and women and the masculine and feminine attributes assigned to them. Depending on the context, the discriminating characteristics vary from sex to social role to gender identity...
related variation. Until the 1970s, there were separate schools for Deaf boys and girls and this has led to gender variation: some of the signs which are generally used today were boys’ signs or girls’ signs in origin. There are of course more reasons for the relatively high degree of intra-regional variation.
At the moment there is no standardized
Standardization
Standardization is the process of developing and implementing technical standards.The goals of standardization can be to help with independence of single suppliers , compatibility, interoperability, safety, repeatability, or quality....
sign language in Flanders, although there is an on-going process of spontaneous standardization (mostly due to increasing contacts between Deaf people from different regions).
Federalization
Another important aspect influencing sign language in Flanders is the federalization process which has taken place inBelgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
during the last two or three decades. Today every Belgian belongs to a certain linguistic group and the same goes for Deaf people. Ironically they are also considered Flemish or Walloon
Walloons
Walloons are a French-speaking people who live in Belgium, principally in Wallonia. Walloons are a distinctive community within Belgium, important historical and anthropological criteria bind Walloons to the French people. More generally, the term also refers to the inhabitants of the Walloon...
, part of the linguistic
majority of speakers of Dutch or French, despite the sign language they use and the linguistic minority to which they belong.
The federalization was a fact in 1993, but this was of course the result of a long process.
In the 1970s, the national Deaf federation, NAVEKADOS, split up into a Flemish and a Walloon federation and Fevlado (Federatie van Vlaamse Dovenorganisaties or the Association of Flemish Deaf Organizations) was founded in 1977.
As a result, cultural activities have been organized separately since then, and the Flemish and the Walloon deaf clubs have been subsidized from different sources. Contacts between Flemish and Walloon Deaf people have become less and less frequent and this has had its effect on the development of the sign languages in both communities which are deviating from each other as they go through separate standardization processes.
Therefore, the name for the sign language has changed over time from "Belgian Sign Language", to "Flemish-Belgian Sign Language", to the now preferred "Flemish Sign Language" on the Flemish side, and to "French Belgian Sign Language" or to "Walloon Sign Language" on the other.
Legal recognition
On 2006-04-26, the Flemish Parliament unanimously recognisedLegal recognition of sign languages
The legal recognition of sign languages is one of the major concerns of the international Deaf community. There is no standard way in which such a recognition can be formally or legally extended; every country has its own interpretation...
the Flemish Sign Language as a language in Flanders. The decree
Decree
A decree is a rule of law issued by a head of state , according to certain procedures . It has the force of law...
consists of three major parts:
Recognition:The Flemish Sign Language is recognised as a language in Flanders and Brussels-Capital Region.
Advisory committee:An advisory committee on the Flemish Sign Language is instated, with a maximum of fifteen members, half of which have to be Deaf. Advise can be requested by the Flemish Government or the Flemish Parliament, but the committee can also formulate advises autonomously.
Knowledge and information centre:The decree arranges the recognition of a knowledge and information centre which has to: coordinate and stimulate linguistic research, support the further development of VGT, develop educational tools for use in teaching VGT and be the first point of contact.