Latvia
National Sign Language
Latviešu Zīmju Valoda, LZV
in English: Latvian Sign Language
Language Status: 5 (Developing)
Legal Recognition
"Sign Language Legislation in the European Union", Wheatley, M., A. Pabsch., Edition II. Brussels, EUD, 2012:
"Latvian Sign Language is explicitly mentioned in the Official Language Law. Besides stating that the official language of Latvia is the Latvian language, Section 3(3) says:
"The State shall ensure the development and use of the Latvian Sign Language for communication with people with impaired hearing."
It does not recognise Latvian Sign language, but gives Deaf people rights with regards to their language."
"The status of sign languages in Europe", Nina Timmermans, ISBN 92-871-5720-0 © Council of Europe, April 2005:
"Sign language has no officially recognised status, is neither used as the first language in education of deaf people, nor recognised as the main means of communication between deaf persons and others."
Number of Deaf Sign Language Users
2,000 (EUD website, December 2016)
National Sign Language (Research) Centres
- Latvian Association of the Deaf (LAD), Riga
