Also Known As:
Lensegua
Dialects & Varieties
Sociolinguistic Survey Report of the Deaf Community of Guatemala
Sociolinguistic Survey Report of the Deaf Community of Guatemala
Threatened
100 percent certain, based on the evidence available
28,000-256,000
Native Speakers Worldwide
Speaker Number Trends
Speaker Number Trend 3
Only about half of community members speak the language. Speaker numbers are decreasing steadily, but not at an accelerated pace.
3
Domains of Use
Domain Of Use 1
Used in most domains except for official ones such as government, mass media, education etc.
1
Transmission
Transmission 1
Most adults in the community, and some children, are speakers.
1
Speakers
Native or fluent speakers:
No results found.
Second-language speakers and learners
No results found.
Semi-speakers or rememberers
No results found.
Children:
No results found.
Young adults
No results found.
Older adults
No results found.
Elders
No results found.
Ethnic or community population
73,000-640,000
Year information was gathered
No results found.
Comments on speakers
"Deaf and hearing people have acquired sign language through deaf members of the community, deaf schools and associations, hospitals and private organizations that hold classes, and the recently printed LENSEGUA dictionaries."
Location and Context
Countries
Guatemala
Location Description
Guatemala City, Quetzaltenango (Xela), Cobán, Huehuetenango, San Marcos, Mazatenango, Escuintla, Zacapa, throughout the country
Government Support
No results found.
Institutional Support
10 deaf schools. Dictionaries. Television program in Quetzaltenango airs a forty-five minute program every Tuesday.
Speakers' Attitude
Positive
Other Languages Used By The Community
American Sign Language, Spanish, English, Mayan languages
Number of Other Language Speakers:
None
Domains of Other Languages:
None
Writing Systems
Standard orthography:
No results found.
Writing system:
None
Other writing systems used:
No results text.
Comments on writing systems:
"There is no established orthography for GSM and most deaf people desire their language development to take the form of video accessed through Television, DVD, and the Internet."
Recent Resources
Informative message
No results found.