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YucatecMayaSignLanguage is a DeafSignLanguage of Mexico. SIL code: MSD. ISO 639-2: sgn. Population: 17 deaf people out of a village of 500 in the primary location (1999 H. Smith). All use sign (1989 Sacks), including hearing people in the village. Region: Concentrated population in south central Yucatan and in smaller groups in the same region, and a sizeable concentration in northern Quintana Roo (1999 H. Smith). Chican, formerly called 'Nohya', Yucatan. An isolated village plus other villages (at least 2 in Oxkutzcab, 4 in Xyatil, 1 in Carillo Puerto) throughout a wide portion of the lowland Mayan region. Kinil is also mentioned (1997 H. Smith). Alternate names: NOHYA SIGN LANGUAGE. Comments: Dialects of Yucatan and Quintana Roo probably differ, but users have no contact with each other. There is a report of a person in Guatemala who uses related signs. Not intelligible with Mexican Sign Language used elsewhere in Mexico, or other sign languages. 100% monolingual. 3 years old to 70 years old (1999 H. Smith). 13 adults and 3 children under 5 (1997 H. Smith), plus all hearing people (1989 Sacks). 400 to 500 who use it as a second or third language (1999 H. Smith). Congenital deafness. It is of some antiquity. Investigation needed: intelligibility with dialects. Literacy rate in second language: 0%. Lowland.(extract from http://www.ethnologue.com/)
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