Yucatec Maya Sign Language

Yucatec Maya Sign Language is used in the state of Yucatan in Mexico by both hearing and deaf members of a traditional Mayan community, where there there is an unusually high number of deaf inhabitants. It is a natural complex language, which is not related to Mexican Sign Language but may have relatives in sign languages found in nearby Guatemala.

As the hearing villagers are competent in the sign language, the deaf inhabitants seem to be well integrated in the community - in contrast to the marginalisation of deaf people in the wider community.

Further reading

• "Sign language, culture & community in a traditional Yucatec Maya village", published by Robert E. Johnson in Sign Language Studies 73:461-474 (1991).

External links

• SIL overview of YMSL