The history of Auslan: where Australian Sign Language came from

Auslan’s British and Irish roots

Auslan evolved from sign languages brought to Australia from Britain and Ireland during the nineteenth century. Auslan Signbank identifies John Carmichael, a deaf engraver who moved from Edinburgh to Sydney in 1825, as the first known deaf person to introduce British Sign Language to Australia. British signing remained the dominant influence, while Irish Sign Language also contributed to Auslan’s development.

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 are closely related members of the BSL language 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 major residential schools for deaf children in Sydney and Melbourne in 1860 was a turning point. The schools brought deaf children together, and signing communities formed and flourished around them. Their separate patterns of expansion helped Auslan spread and contributed to the development of regional dialects that still differ between states today.

Recognition as a real language

The name “Auslan” (short for Australian Sign Language) was coined by linguist Trevor Johnston in 1981. The Australian Government officially recognised Auslan as a legitimate language in 1987, and Johnston’s first Auslan dictionary was published on 13 April 1989. That publication is now celebrated every year on Auslan Day. The dictionary helped document 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 documented roots in Australia go back about 200 years. Auslan Signbank identifies John Carmichael, a deaf engraver who moved from Edinburgh to Sydney in 1825, as the first known deaf person to introduce British Sign Language to Australia. British and Irish signing traditions 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 members of the BSL language family. They share a two-handed alphabet and many similar signs, although each language has evolved separately.

When was Auslan officially recognised?

The Australian Government officially recognised Auslan as a legitimate language in 1987. Later policy statements described it as a community language other than English and the preferred language of the Australian Deaf community.

Sources and further reading

The factual claims in this guide were checked against the following community, government and research sources.

• History of Auslan — Auslan Signbank
• Auslan or AUSLAN: an explanation of the correct capitalisation — Trevor Johnston, published by Deaf Australia (2021)
• Languages: the place of Auslan in Australia — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority
• National Policy on Languages — Australian Parliament, Parliamentary Paper No. 132 (1987)
• Australian Sign Language (Auslan): An introduction to sign language linguistics — Johnston & Schembri, Cambridge University Press (2007)

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