Brazilian Sign Language (Portuguese: Língua Brasileira de Sinais [ˈlĩɡwɐ bɾaziˈlejɾɐ dʒi siˈnajs]) is the sign language used by deaf communities of Brazil. It is commonly known in short as Libras (pronounced [ˈlibɾɐs]).

Brazilian Sign Language (Libras) is a well-established language and legally recognized.^[3] Several dictionaries, instructional videos, and a number of articles on the linguistic nuances of the language have been published. It is a natural language of Brazil, but it exhibits influences of French Sign Language, therefore sharing similarities with other sign languages across Europe and the Americas. Additionally, Libras has regional dialects across Brazil, reflecting the diverse sociocultural differences in the country.

Libras is not merely a form of gesturing within the Portuguese language used to communicate; rather, it stands as a distinct language in its own right. Brazilian sign language is a visual-spatial language that combines gestures, facial expression and body language.^[4] Its classification as a language stems primarily from its unique grammatical organization^[5] which diverges from how Portuguese is structured.

A strong sign language law was passed by the National Congress of Brazil on April 24, 2002.^[6] This law formally acknowledged Libras as a language and mandated governmental support and promotion of its usage. Additionally, it stipulated that public institutions and healthcare services must provide appropriate services for deaf individuals.

In addition to being recognized nationally since 2002,^[7][8] Libras has also gained official status at the municipal and state levels in various regions, including Belo Horizonte,^[9][10][11] Curitiba,^[12][13] Ouro Preto,^{[14][15][16][17]} Salvador,^[18] Rondonia,^[19] and Mato Grosso.^[20]

In Rio de Janeiro, the teaching of Libras was made official in the curriculum of the municipal school system.^[21][22]

Recognizing the importance of Libras, April 24 has been designated as the National Day of Brazilian Sign Language (Libras).^[23][24][25]

Educational approaches have shifted from oralism to Total Communication and bilingualism.

Brazilian Sign Language was greatly influenced by French Sign Language.^[26] In 1855, the arrival of a deaf French teacher named Ernest Huet marked a pivotal moment in Libras' history. Huet, supported by the former Brazilian emperor Dom Pedro II, embarked on a mission to establish the first school for the deaf in Brazil.

Huet was part of a noble family in France and possessed a multilingual background, proficient in Portuguese, German, and French from an early age. However, at the age of 12 he acquired measles which resulted in him becoming deaf. Undeterred by his condition, Huet continued his education, mastering Spanish and enrolling in the National Institute for the Deaf in Paris. In 1855, he relocated to Brazil with his wife, where his encounter with the deaf community led him to play a pivotal role in the development of Libras. Huet aided in the creation of the first public school for the deaf in Brazil, located in Rio de Janeiro and due to his contact with deaf individuals in Brazil he became a key person in the development of Libras.^[27][28][29]

The first public school for the deaf was established in Rio de Janeiro in 1857 and marked a significant milestone. Initially named the Imperial Institute of the Deaf-Mute (Portuguese: Imperial Instituto de Surdos-Mudos /ĩ.pe.ɾiˈaɫ is.tiˈtu.tu dʒi ˈsuɾ.du ˈmu.du/) due to people at the time associating being deaf with the inability to speak, the school was later renamed the National Institute of Deaf Education (Portuguese: Instituto Nacional de Educação de Surdos, /ĩs.tʃiˈtu.tu na.si.oˈnaw dʒi edu.ka.sɐ̃w dʒi ˈsuʁ.dus/) (INES). Serving as a beacon of reference for the country, INES catalyzed the formation of additional schools for the deaf and contributed to the consolidation of Libras.^[28]

The emergence of tangible resources supporting sign language in Brazil can be traced back to 1875 with the publication of the first Brazilian Sign Language dictionary, "Iconografia dos Signaes dos Surdos-Mudos," authored by Flausino José da Costa Gama, an INES student.^[30]

However, despite these advancements in sign language, a prevalent medical perspective persisted, leading to the institutionalization of deaf individuals in hopes of finding a cure.^[31][32] This medical model gained traction, particularly following the Milan Conference of 1880, where a resolution against the use of sign language in education was passed, favoring oralism. Oralism gained prominence in Brazil from 1911 onwards, and the INES superintendent, Ana Rímoli de Faria Doria, endorsed oralism in the institute by separating older deaf individual from younger ones to discourage sign language use.^[33][34]

Despite the imposition of oralism and the ban on sign language in schools, many deaf individuals in Brazil continued to resist and advocate for the recognition of their language and culture. It wasn't until 2002 that Libras gained legal recognition as a means of communication and expression, thanks to a law passed by Congress, marking a significant victory for the deaf community in Brazil.^[3]

The National Federation of Education and Integration of the Hearing Impaired (Portuguese: Federação Nacional de Educação e Integração do Deficiente Auditivo) (FENEIDA) was founded in Rio de Janeiro in 1977 by hearing individuals with an interest in the deaf community.^[35] FENEIDA later had an increased participation from deaf individuals, marking a pivotal shift towards advocating for their rights within the organization.

In 1987, FENEIDA was dissolved through a vote to pave the way for a new federation. The idea for a new federation was proposed by deaf individuals and was named The National Federation of Deaf Education and Integration (Portuguese: Federação Nacional de Educação e Integração dos Surdos) (FENEIS). Initially overseen by hearing individuals, FENEIS gradually transitioned to a more inclusive leadership structure. By 1998, the organization boasted a representation of eleven deaf members alongside three hearing individuals.^[35]

FENEIS is known as a nonprofit institution dedicated to advocating for the educational, cultural, and social rights of the deaf community. Through its proactive efforts, FENEIS has significantly advanced the legal and societal standing of deaf individuals. Notably, its impact extends beyond advocacy, encompassing direct engagement in educational initiatives, cultural promotion, and social services.^[33]

Additionally, FENEIS has a number of regional locations in Brasilia, Sao Paulo, Belo Horizonte, Fortaleza, Curitiba, Manaus, Caxias do Sul and Porto Alegre, further amplifying its reach and impact across Brazil.

William Stoke proposed that sign language exhibits small units of speech, akin to the phonemes found in spoken languages.^[36] In Brazilian Sign Language (Libras), these units are organized according to five parameters studied within phonology. These parameters encompass handshape, location, movement, palm orientation, and non-manual markers.

Handshape refers to the specific configuration of the hand while forming a sign. For instance, in 2012, Madson and Raquel Barreto compiled an inventory comprising 111 distinct handshapes.^[37] Location denotes where the hand is positioned in space or what it touches during sign production. Barros identified a total of 35 points where the hand can touch or be positioned during the articulation of a sign.^[38] Movement encompasses any motions accompanying a sign, involving the hands, arms, or body. Palm orientation delineates the various directions the palm may face while producing a sign. Lastly, non-manual markers entail facial expressions that can accentuate or alter the meaning of a sign. Much like phonemes in spoken language, these parameters play a pivotal role in sign meaning. Any alteration in these parameters can result in a significant shift in the sign's meaning.

In Brazilian Sign Language (Libras), signs typically represent specific words used in communication. However, when a particular word lacks a designated sign, fingerspelling becomes necessary. Fingerspelling involves manually spelling out words using the letters of the Libras alphabet.

Libras fingerspelling uses a one-handed manual alphabet similar to that used by the French Sign Language family.^[39] This method allows individuals to convey words for which there are no existing signs, enabling effective communication across a wide range of concepts and contexts.

Just like spoken language, Libras, used within the deaf community in Brazil, exhibits regional and generational variations in its signs. Different signs may denote places, objects, and concepts, and these signs may evolve over time with new generations. These changes underscore the dynamic nature of language. Professor Rimar Segala from the Federal University of Sao Carlos notes that this "variation is evidence of the vitality of the language."^[40]

For example, in Sao Paulo, the sign for beer involves a twist with the fist, whereas in Minas Gerais, beer is represented by touching the side of the face with the pointer and middle fingers.^[41][40]

Ronice Müller de Quadros and her colleagues developed the Libras SignBank, a valuable resource enabling users to access hundreds of Libras signs. It facilitates searches for signs based on Portuguese equivalents, handshapes, associated word categories, phonology, or syntax. Additionally, the SignBank enables users to explore regional variations of signs, offering a deeper understanding of the linguistic diversity within Libras.^[42]

Sutton SignWriting is the dominant writing system in Brazil.^[43] A master's in linguistics dissertation titled "A arte de escrever em Libras" by Gabriela Otaviani Barbosa found that SignWriting is used in 18 Federal Universities and in 12 public schools in Brazil.^[44][45]

Historical efforts were commonly transcribed using Portuguese words, written in upper case, to stand for each equivalent Libras morpheme.^[46]

Transcription of Libras signs using SignWriting has been in place since at least 1997 with the SignNet Project in Porto Alegre and Fernando Capovilla's dictionaries in São Paulo. The University of Santa Catarina at Florianopolis (UFSC) has required courses in SignWriting as the preferred form of LIBRAS transcription.

SignWriting is cited as being useful in the pedagogy of young children.^[47]

The Federal University of Santa Catarina has accepted a dissertation written in Brazilian Sign Language using Sutton SignWriting for a master's degree in linguistics. The dissertation "A escrita de expressões não manuais gramaticais em sentenças da Libras pelo Sistema signwriting" by João Paulo Ampessan states that "the data indicate the need for [non-manual expressions] usage in writing sign language".^[48]

In September 2017, new Libras accessibility requirements took effect in Brazil mandating availability of Brazilian Sign Language for films shown in Brazilian movie theaters. Sign language is displayed to moviegoers on a second screen device.^[49] Sign language is stored as a Sign Language Video track in the Digital Cinema Package (DCP), synchronized with the rest of the film.^[50] Sign Language Video tracks have no audio and are encoded as a VP9-compressed video encoded in PCM audio stored in Sound Track 15 of the DCP.^[51]

Wittmann (1991)^[2] posits that Brazilian Sign Language is a language isolate (a 'prototype' sign language), though one developed through stimulus diffusion from an existing sign language, likely Portuguese Sign Language and/or French Sign Language.

• Ka'apor Sign Language, an unrelated Indigenous sign language of Brazil.

Brazilian Sign Language test of Wikipedia at Wikimedia Incubator