Teckenspråk

Teckenspråk is the term used in Swedish to refer to sign languages, natural languages that use manual signs, facial expressions, and body movements to convey meaning. They function as complete languages with their own grammar and lexicon, independent from spoken languages. Sign languages are used primarily by Deaf and hard-of-hearing people, but also by family members, interpreters, and members of sign-language communities.

In Sweden, Svenskt teckenspråk (STS) is the principal sign language. STS is the natural language of the Deaf community in Sweden and is distinct from Swedish, the spoken language of Sweden. Signs are produced with the hands, but facial expressions and head movements play a crucial grammatical role in STS, enabling complex sentences and nuanced meaning.

Sign languages develop within Deaf communities and can be influenced by other sign languages through education and contact. STS has historical roots in European sign-language traditions and has been shaped by schooling for Deaf learners in Sweden, as well as cross-border contact with nearby sign-language communities. Like other sign languages, STS has its own idioms, vocabulary, and regional variation.

People who rely on teckenspråk include Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals, as well as interpreters and sign-language users in education, work, and public life. Accessibility services, such as sign-language interpretation, captioning, and bilingual education, support communication and inclusion for sign-language users. Teckenspråk is not a universal system; each country or region may have its own sign language with its own grammar and signs, and mutual intelligibility between different sign languages is not guaranteed.