Puerto Rican Sign Language

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Puerto Rican Sign Language

A significant portion of New York City's estimated Deaf population of over 200,000 use American Sign Language, as do a number of CODAs (children of Deaf adults). Worldwide there exist up to several hundred other sign languages, often little documented and highly endangered, and at least some are likely used in New York, particularly by those who may have attended Deaf school in other countries — though it's likely they shift to ASL or at least codeswitch with ASL once in the city. While ASL signers live throughout the city, there are key hubs for the language, including the few remaining Deaf Clubs, important social clubs; religious institutions like St. Elizabeth's Deaf Church in Manhattan; and Queens' Lexington School for the Deaf, memorably described in Leah Hager Cohen's book Train Go Sorry.

n his book Signing in Puerto Rican, author Andrés Torres provides an invaluable account of the Puerto Rican Deaf world in New York City in which he grew up, which he estimates as having included some 2,000 people in the mid-20th century. Torres reports the use at different points of home signs that evolved in his own family as well as Sign English and some ASL, of which Puerto Rican Sign Language (PRSL) is sometimes considered a close variant. Deaf schools, migration, social change, and other factors all contributed to a fluid multilingual situation. The extent to which a distinctive PRSL has been and is being used in New York is not certain, but the Puerto Rican Society of Catholic Deaf has been a focal point for the community for over 60 years.

Note that the language above may be used throughout the New York area — this is just one significant site.

Search Explore Data Census Info

Language	Endonym	World Region	Country	Global Speakers	Language Family	Location	Size	Status

Abakuá	Abakuá	Caribbean	Cuba			Lower East Side	Smallest	Liturgical
Abaza	Абаза	Western Asia	Turkey Russia	49,800	Abkhaz-Adyge	Wayne (NJ)	Smallest	Residential
Abruzzese (Orsognese)	Abruzzésë	Southern Europe	Italy		Indo-European	Astoria	Small	Residential
Abruzzese (Orsognese)	Abruzzésë	Southern Europe	Italy		Indo-European	Little Italy	Small	Historical
Acehnese	Bahsa Acèh	Southeastern Asia	Indonesia	3,500,000	Austronesian	Astoria	Smallest	Community
Acehnese	Bahsa Acèh	Southeastern Asia	Indonesia	3,500,000	Austronesian	Elmhurst	Smallest	Residential
Adjoukrou	Mɔjukru	Western Africa	Ivory Coast	140,000	Atlantic-Congo	Concourse	Smallest	Residential
Adyghe	К\|ахыбзэ	Western Asia	Turkey Russia	117,500	Abkhaz-Adyge	Wayne (NJ)	Small	Residential
Afenmai	Afenmai	Western Africa	Nigeria	270,000	Atlantic-Congo	Castle Hill	Smallest	Residential
African-American English	Black English	Northern America	United States	45,109,521	Indo-European	Bedford-Stuyvesant	Largest	Residential
African-American English	Black English	Northern America	United States	45,109,521	Indo-European	Newark (NJ)	Largest	Residential
African-American English	Black English	Northern America	United States	45,109,521	Indo-European	Clifton	Largest	Residential
African-American English	Black English	Northern America	United States	45,109,521	Indo-European	Hollis	Largest	Residential
African-American English	Black English	Northern America	United States	45,109,521	Indo-European	Edenwald	Largest	Residential
African-American English	Black English	Northern America	United States	45,109,521	Indo-European	Central Harlem	Largest	Residential
African-American English	Black English	Northern America	United States	45,109,521	Indo-European	Hempstead (NY)	Large	Residential
Afrikaans	Afrikaans	Southern Africa	South Africa Zimbabwe	17,543,580	Indo-European	Murray Hill	Small	Community
Akan	Akan	Western Africa	Ghana	9,231,300	Atlantic-Congo	Flatbush	Small	Residential
Akan	Akan	Western Africa	Ghana	9,231,300	Atlantic-Congo	Shore Acres	Small	Residential
Akan	Akan	Western Africa	Ghana	9,231,300	Atlantic-Congo	University Heights	Large	Residential