Page Type: languageSwiss-Italian Sign Language | Ethnologue

SLF ISO 639-3

Swiss-Italian Sign Language

A language of Switzerland

ISO 639
slf
Alternate Names
LIS, LIS-SI, Lingua dei Segni Italiana, Lingua dei segni della Svizzera italiana
Population
300 (Boyes Braem and Rathmann 2010). Estimated, less than 0.1% of total population in Italian areas. 10,000 deaf signers in all of Switzerland (2021 EUD).
Location:
Scattered. Graubünden and Ticino cantons.
Language Status
5 (Developing). Recognized language (2002, Federal Parliament, Law on Equality for Disabled People).
Classification
Sign language, Deaf community sign language
Dialects
None known. Two main varieties: Lugano, Bellinzona (Boyes Braem and Rathmann 2010). Similar to Italian Sign Language [ise], especially to variants from Lombardy (2016 G. Harms). Variety used around Bellinzona influenced by sign languages of immigrants from the former Yugoslavia, Lithuania and Poland. (Boyes Braem and Rathmann 2010).
Typology
Fingerspelling: One-handed, similar to French Sign Language [fsl].
Language Use
Deaf school has closed (Boyes Braem and Rathmann 2010). Deaf association. Status of signing is increasing. Used by all. Also use American Sign Language [ase], and other signed and written languages in Switzerland and surrounding countries (Boyes Braem and Rathmann 2010).
Language Development
TV. Videos. Dictionary. Agencies: Swiss Federation of the Deaf (SGB-FSS); Regionalkomitee Italienische Schweiz.
Other Comments
Taught as L2. 13,000 hearing signers (all three sign languages) in Switzerland, estimate based on participants in sign language classes (Boyes Braem and Rathmann 2010). 8 working sign language interpreters (2019 EUD). Christian.

Also Spoken in

Map

Location: Scattered. Graubünden and Ticino cantons.