Sign language becomes official
in NZ
Date: 7 April 2006
Source: National Nine News
New Zealand's parliament has
voted to make signing the nation's third official language.
New Zealand Sign Language, different
to signing in other countries and used by about 28,000
people, joins English and Maori as a language which
can be used in legal proceedings.
The nation joins several European
countries and North American states and provinces in
giving official status to signing - predominantly used
by the deaf and hearing impaired.
Disability Issues Minister Ruth
Dyson said the vote was a monumental achievement for
the deaf community after 20 years of campaigning.
"New Zealand Sign Language
is a language native to our country," Dyson said.
"It has a unique linguistic
structure and includes signs that express concepts from
Maori culture."
There are about 210,000 deaf
or hearing impaired people in New Zealand.
The parliamentary vote was silently
applauded by a packed gallery of deaf people who waved
their hands in the air and signed their approval.
Only two members of a small conservative
party voted against recognition.
The ACT party members said they
did so because there was no government plan to fund
services for sign language users.
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