First Dictionary of Rwandan Sign Language

1st Edition Amerenga y'Ikinyarwanda Manual Published

May 18, 2009

In March 2009, the Rwandan National Union of the Deaf presented the first dictionary of Rwandan Sign Language at their Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Kigali.

The dictionary of Amarenga y'Ikinyarwanda (AKR/"Kinyarwanda Sign Language"), also referred to as Amarenga yo mu Rwanda (AMR/"Sign Language of Rwanda"), is the result of three years of research spanning the length and breadth of Rwanda.

Standardising Rwandan Sign Language

The project to begin documenting the language of the Rwandan Deaf Community first started in 2006 with support from Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO) who provided funding as part of their disability partnership programme. In addition to funding, the Rwandan National Union of the Deaf also received two international volunteers to assist with the project.

A common misconception about sign language is that it is universal; however each country in the world tends to have its own sign language, or sometimes more than one. As well as different sign languages, there are also regional dialects which are like sign language accents.

To make sure that the dictionary was representative of all Deaf people across Rwanda, the Rwandan National Union of the Deaf (RNUD) took teams of Deaf researches out to the North, South, East, West and centre (Kigali) of Rwanda in order to video and document regional signs.

After two years of collecting signs, the next stage was to examining the signs through a Deaf sign language committee to see which signs were most commonly used and which elements of the language were similar in all regions. The signs with the most common use were put into the dictionary, however a note is made in the Abstract that the dictionary is not exhaustive and that regional dialects do still exist.

Content of Rwandan Sign Language Dictionary

The dictionary itself contains over 900 illustrated signs with explanations of how to make the signs in both Kinyarwanda and English. The dictionary also contains a diagram of the parts of the hands which are used to make the signs, a copy of the French/American sign language alphabet which is in use and of the Rwandan sign language number system. The dictionary covers subjects such as:

As well as the illustrated guide, which has been drawn by members of the National Union of the Deaf, there is a Forward and Introduction by Augustin Munyangeyo, the Chair of RNUD.

Need for a Sign Language Dictionary in Rwanda

"We hope that [the dictionary] will be a valuable resource for Deaf people, documenting their language. We also hope that it will be the first of many learning tools for individuals, parents, ministries, teachers, police officers and other service providers who want to learn how to communicate effectively with Deaf people."

It is also hoped that the dictionary will act as a tool for sign language learners and that it will be supported by the development of a sign language curriculum, eventually leading to interpreter training. Individuals hoping to train as sign language interpreters in Rwanda currently have to travel to Kampala, Uganda to study and Uganda itself has no national sign language curriculum as yet.

In Rwanda there is only one qualified sign language interpreter who has trained in Uganda, making access to education, health care and public information extremely difficult for the majority of Deaf children and adults in the country.

By raising awareness of sign language and encouraging the use of the dictionary in schools and by public service providers, Deaf people not only stand a better chance at communication but also a higher amount of respect from a population who now understand that Amarenga y'Ikinyarwanda is a full and complex language in its own right.

How to Order a Copy of the Dictionary

The Rwandan National Union of the Deaf an be contacted through the website mentioned above, or by e-mailing: information@rnad.org You an telephone on either of the following numbers:

Within Rwanda you an pick up a copy of the dictionary at the RNAD offices, Zania Centre, Kicukiro or through Handicap International or the VSO office in Kisimenti.

The price is FRW 10,000 for individuals, NGOs, school and organisation and FRW 5,000 for Deaf individuals and parents of Deaf children.

Internationally you can e-mail the address above to arrange postage. For International purchases publishers ask USD 20, plus USD 5 for postage and packaging. This can be paid by international cheque or, by arrangement, through PayPal.

The copyright of the article First Dictionary of Rwandan Sign Language in Learning Sign Language is owned by Marion Grace Woolley. Permission to republish First Dictionary of Rwandan Sign Language in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.