Providencia Sign Language

A language of Colombia

ISO 639: prz
Population: 19 (Washabaugh 1986). Known by most people on Providencia, including 19 born deaf out of 2,500 to 3,000 population (Washabaugh 1986), approximately 0.6%–0.75%.
Location:: San Andrés y Providencia: Providencia island.
Language Status: 8b (Nearly extinct).
Classification: Sign language, Shared sign language
Dialects: Not exposed to other sign languages. East differs from west with some variation between villages (Washabaugh 1986).
Language Development: No use of fingerspelling.
Other Comments: High deaf population due to heredity in a closed gene pool. Deaf fairly well integrated into daily activities. Most information available is about use on Providencia Island (Washabaugh 1986), but there are also deaf people on San Andrés Island; whether they use the same language is not yet known.

Location: San Andrés y Providencia: Providencia island.