Alternate Names: Deutsche Gebärdensprache, Dgs
Dialects: Many regional lexical variations. Some similarity to French , and other European sign languages. Relation to sign languages of eastern Germany, Austria, and Switzerland is not known. More than one sign language used in eastern Germany.
Genealogy:
Demographics: 50,000 (Van Cleve 1986). 22,000 members of German Deaf Association.
Language Development: Bible portions: 1998.
Nation of Origin: Germany