Jordanian Sign Language

A language of Jordan

ISO 639: jos
Alternate Names: LIU, Lughat al-Ishāra al-Urdunia, Lughat il-Ishaarah il-Urduniyyah
Population: 30,000 (2021 DBS/DOOR/SIL). Estimated 20,000–40,000 deaf signers, based on 0.2%–0.4% of the general population.
Location:: Scattered.
Language Status: 5 (Developing).
Classification: Sign language, Deaf community sign language
Dialects: None known. LIU signers understand Egyptian Sign Language (LIM) [esl] to some extent, despite major lexical differences. Understood well by deaf in Lebanon, Syria, Palestine and even Egypt (Hendriks 2008:37). Not the same as Unified Arabic Sign Language, an artificial system promoted by representatives of 18 Arabic-speaking countries (Rashdan 2016). Relatively low lexical similarity with Egyptian Sign Language (LIM) [esl] (Hendriks 2008).
Typology: Content Q-Word Position: Final; Content Q-Word: One general plus some specific; Negation: Manual-dominant, Special emphatic negators; Fingerspelling: One-handed (Arabic script).
Language Use: Vigorous. Used by all.
Language Development: Dictionary. Grammar. Agency: Holy-Land Institute for the Deaf.

Location: Scattered.