The history of Auslan: where Australian Sign Language came from

Auslan’s British and Irish roots

Auslan grew out of the signed languages that deaf British, Irish and Scottish people brought with them to Australia in the early nineteenth century. Settlers, migrants and convicts among the Deaf community signed in the languages of their homelands, and those systems gradually blended and evolved into a distinctly Australian sign language.

This is why Auslan is closely related to British Sign Language (BSL) and New Zealand Sign Language. The three share the same two-handed fingerspelling alphabet and a great deal of vocabulary, and linguists group them together as the BANZSL family. It also explains why Auslan is completely different from American Sign Language, which has French rather than British origins, something we cover in Auslan vs ASL.

Deaf schools and the growth of an Australian language

The founding of the first deaf schools in Sydney and Melbourne in the 1860s was a turning point. Schools brought deaf children together, and signing communities formed and flourished around them. Over generations this is how Auslan was passed down, refined and spread across the country, and it’s also why Auslan developed regional dialects that still differ between states today.

Recognition as a real language

The name “Auslan” (short for Australian Sign Language) was coined in the early 1980s, and the language was formally acknowledged in Australian government language policy later that decade. The publication of the first Auslan dictionary at the end of the 1980s helped document the language and confirm what the Deaf community already knew: Auslan has its own grammar, vocabulary and structure. It is not English on the hands.

That distinction matters. Auslan carries meaning not just through handshapes but through facial expressions and other non-manual features, and it has a grammar quite unlike spoken English. Learning a little of its history is a good reminder to learn the language on its own terms.

Frequently asked questions

How old is Auslan?

Auslan's roots go back around 200 years, to the sign languages brought to Australia by deaf British, Irish and Scottish settlers and migrants in the early 1800s. It then developed into a distinct language within the Australian Deaf community.

Is Auslan related to British Sign Language?

Yes. Auslan, British Sign Language (BSL) and New Zealand Sign Language are closely related and belong to the same language family, sometimes called BANZSL. They share the same two-handed alphabet and many similar signs, though each has evolved separately.

When was Auslan officially recognised?

Auslan was formally recognised as a community language in Australian government language policy in the late 1980s. This recognition was an important milestone for the Deaf community and for access to interpreting and education.

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