Hungary
National Sign Language
Magyar Jelnyelv, Magyarországi jelnyelv
In English: Hungarian Sign Language
Language Status:5 (Developing).
Legal Recognition
"Sign Language Legislation in the European Union", Wheatley, M., A. Pabsch., Edition II. Brussels, EUD, 2012
"Hungary is one of the four countries to have recognised its national sign language in its federal constitution (Magyar Közlöny). Since 2011 the new constitution states in its Article H(3) that:|"Hungary defends Hungarian Sign Language as part of Hungarian culture. (..)
It guarantees interpretation services by the State (Section 4) detailing qualifications and payment.Further, the Act makes it compulsory to educate Deaf children in sign language or bilingually (Sections 11-14)."
Number of Deaf Sign Language Users
9,000 (EUD website, December 2016)
National Sign Language (Research) Centre
- Hallatlan Foundation, 1085 Budapest, Rigó utca 6-8. 1. floor
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Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest:
"The Hungarian Sign Language Specialization is the joint course of Eötvös Loránd University Faculty of Humanities and HAS Research Institute for Linguistics Research Centre for Multilingualism.
In the past few years more and more attention is given to the equal opportunity of the Deaf even in Hungary and actions were focused on the reduction of discrimination and on info-communicational accessibility. As a consequence, in September 2009 a 4 semester sign language specialization with 50 credits started at Eötvös Loránd University Faculty of Humanities where BA and BSc students can learn about Hungarian Sign Language and Deaf culture.
With this specialization there is an opportunity for Deaf and hearing students to get acquainted with sign language and the culture of the Hungarian Deaf Community, which is the third biggest linguistic and cultural minority of the country, at academic level.
Besides the course highly contributes to the implementation of the provisions of language usage rights of the Deaf. These rights - besides international legal documents in force – are specified by the Act CXXV of 2009 on Hungarian Sign Language and the use of Hungarian Sign Language, which was accepted on 9th November 2009 and which guarantees bilingual early intervention, bilingual education and the teaching of Hungarian Sign Language as a subject for Deaf children."