Alternate Names: Lengua de Señas Chilena, Lenguaje Chileno de Signos, Lenguaje de Señas, LENSE, LSCh
Dialects: Variation based on region (northern, central, and southern), age, and educational background. Regional varieties are influenced by bordering countries. (Parks, Parks, and Williams 2011).
Genealogy:
Demographics: 21,000 (Parks, Parks, and Williams 2011). 292,700 people with some level of auditory deficiency (2005 Fondo Nacional de la Discapacidad); 66,500 people with total deafness (23,900 less than 60 years old) (2002 census).
Language Use: All domains. All ages. While Chilean Sign Language is the primary language of communication for most deaf people, widely varying degrees of bilingualism (spoken and written) in Spanish [spa] are common. Spanish literacy for access to mainstream society and employment is valued.
Language Development: 37 Deaf teachers of Chilean sign language (2006 V. Castillo Martínez). Bilingual-bicultural approach to education. Approximately 15 sign language interpreters (2008 World Federation of the Deaf). TV. Dictionary.
Nation of Origin: Chile