Irish Sign Language (ISL) is the sign language of Ireland. ISL is used in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, but in Northern Ireland Northern Ireland Sign Language (NISL) is also used. ISL is more closely related to French Sign Language than to British Sign Language (that was first used in Dublin). ISL has influenced sign languages in Australia and South Africa and has little relation to either spoken English or Irish.
According to the Irish Deaf Society ISL "arose from within Deaf communities", "was developed by deaf people themselves" and "has been in existence for hundreds of years"; according to Ethnologue the language originated in the period of 1846-1849. The SIL code for Irish Sign Language is "ISG"; "ISL" is the SIL code for Israeli Sign Language .
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