Republic of Mauritius

1.2 million

7,000

English, French

The number of established languages listed in Ethnologue is 9. Some of these are:

• Malagasy
• Morisyen
• Telugu

Mauritian Sign Language (MSL)

A school for the deaf was founded in Beau Bassin in 1969 and then MSL is reported as starting to emerge (Adone 2007). It is not clear how many other schools provide education for deaf children. The University of Mauritius has apparently offered some MSL instruction.

Gebert and Adone (2006) found that several generations of signers existed indicating that MSL was at least fifty years old. A dictionary and grammar of MSL was written in 2006101 but little has appeared since then.

Adone (2012) has reported on MSL as an emerging sign language. It shares features of other emerging sign languages such as gradual emerging sign order (SOV) and variation in spatial modification of verbs. Adone (2012) reports that there is little morphology, for example few agreement verbs. Aspect marking is, however, reported (Adone 2007, taken from Adone 2012).

• The Society for the Welfare of the Deaf (SWDEAF)

Interpreters have had some training but certification is not clear. Some MSL material is available on internet such as some individual signs  and clips of stories .

Gebert, A., Adone, D., Horn, C., Croze, C., & Riebe, T. (2006). Dictionary and Grammar of Mauritian Sign Language: Dictionnaire Et Grammaire De La Langue Des Signes Mauricienne = Diksioner Ek Gramer Lang Sign Morisien. Also referenced as Adone, Dany & Gebert, A. (2006). A dictionary and grammar for Mauritian Sign Language. Volume 1. Editions Le Printemps Ltée, Vacoas, République de Maurice.  

Adone, D. (2012). Language emergence and creolisation. In R. Pfau, M. Steinbach & B. Woll (Eds.), Sign language: An international handbook (pp. 862-889). Berlin: De Gruyter.  

Anne Baker