BAHAMAS: What Sign Languages Are Used in the Bahamas?

This article can help you answer the following questions:

• How many Deaf / Hard of Hearing people are in the Bahamas?

• What sign languages are used in the Bahamas?

• How do you say the Bahamas in sign language?

• Where can I learn Bahamian sign languages online?

• What Deaf organizations are located in the Bahamas?

• What additional sign language resources are there for the Bahamas?

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Where is the Bahamas?

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How many Deaf / Hard of Hearing people are in the Bahamas?

There are an estimated 12,900 Deaf and Hard of Hearing in the Bahamas.

This percentage is a rough estimation: 3.3% of the general population. Lack of research make estimating these numbers difficult. The World Health Organization estimates 5% of the world population has significant hearing loss. Keep in mind that developing nations typically have a much higher number of Deaf and Hard of Hearing populations.

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What sign languages are used in the Bahamas?

• Pidgin Signed English (PSE)

• British Manually Coded English (MCE)

• American Sign Language (ASL)

Written / spoken languages in the Bahamas:

• English

• Bahamas Creole English

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How do you say the Bahamas in sign language?

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Where can I learn Bahamian sign languages online?

This language is not yet available. If you would like to learn this language, please request it here: https://www.intersignuniversity.com/languages

InterSign University offers many international sign language courses. Check them out here:

https://www.intersignuniversity.com/mini-classes

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What Deaf organizations are located in the Bahamas?

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Additional sign language resources for the Bahamas

SIL Sociolinguistic Profiles of Twenty-four Deaf Communities in the Americas (pgs. 10-13)

SIL Caribbean Information

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We will update this section as more information becomes available.