There are thousands of sign languages spread around the world, each country has its own version. And in today’s article, we will learn details about the sign language of Japan.
The Japanese sign language is known as 日本手話 (nihon shuwa), it was previously known as temane, and it is globally recognized by the acronym JSL – Japanese Sign Language.
The Japanese sign language has a vocabulary and grammar different from spoken Japanese. It is somewhat similar to Taiwanese and Korean sign languages. Japanese sign language does not only use the hands and arms, but also the eyes, eyebrows, and jaw.
Curiosities about nihon shuwa
More than 95% of the deaf community in Japan understands Japanese sign language, approximately 80% understands the fingerspelling alphabet and television. There are more than 100 schools for the deaf, the first was established in Kyoto in 1878.
In Japan, the middle finger is used in sign language to make the sign for brother. Despite Westernization, the middle finger is not typically used as an insult in Japan.
The kanji is used more than the hiragana alphabet in sign language. Sign language also undergoes changes according to the province and region of the country.
There are some works such as animes and doramas that make use of sign language like gangsta, Orange Days, Babel, and others.
People with hearing disabilities must use a special sticker on their vehicle for identification. We recommend reading: Special stickers used on vehicles in Japan
Middle finger in Japanese Sign Language
Something that went viral on the internet is the word brothers in Japanese (Kyoudai-兄弟) which is made by showing the middle finger using both hands. Something that can be quite comical in the West, imagine several brothers in a church showing the middle finger to get each other’s attention.
It is worth clarifying that the middle finger in Japan does not have the same meaning as in the West, although Japanese people are now aware of this Western usage. The word older brother (Aniー兄) also uses the middle finger, but only with one hand. The gesture is still made by raising the finger upwards.
You can see this type of sign being used in other contexts such as conveying the idea of money, or indicating “five” when used together with other fingers. You can see this gesture of Japanese sign language in animes like gangsta, Orange Days, and Babel.
Japanese alphabet in signs
Below you can learn the Japanese alphabet in signs.
If you want to find media in Japanese sign language, we recommend the following websites:
Differences between Japanese and Brazilian sign language
The video below shows some differences between Brazilian and Japanese sign language.
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