What Is Auslan Short For? Origin of the Name

Many people hearing the word “Auslan” for the first time naturally ask what is Auslan short for. The answer is straightforward: Auslan is a portmanteau of “Australian Sign Language.” This name was coined to give the language a clear, distinct identity separate from other sign languages around the world, and it has since become the universally accepted term across Australia.

How the Name Auslan Was Created

The name Auslan was first proposed by linguist Trevor Johnston in 1989 during his pioneering research documenting Australian Sign Language. Before Johnston’s work, the language had no widely agreed-upon name. It was variously referred to as “Australian Sign Language,” “deaf sign language,” or simply “signing,” none of which gave it the distinct identity that a recognised language deserves.

Johnston created the term by blending “Aus” from “Australian” with “lan” from “language,” producing a concise, memorable name that could stand alongside the names of other national sign languages. The word “sign” was deliberately omitted from the abbreviation to keep it short and to mirror the naming convention used for spoken languages, which do not typically include the word “spoken” in their names.

The Deaf community in Australia quickly adopted the name. It felt natural and gave the language a sense of legitimacy that longer, more clinical descriptions had lacked. By the early 1990s, Auslan was being used in academic publications, government documents, and within the Deaf community itself as the standard term for the language.

Johnston went on to compile the first comprehensive dictionary of Auslan and established the Auslan Signbank at Macquarie University, which has since moved to the University of Melbourne. His contribution to naming and documenting the language was foundational to its recognition as a legitimate linguistic system.

Why Auslan Needed Its Own Name

Before the name Auslan was established, many Australians — including some within the Deaf community — did not fully appreciate that their sign language was a distinct language rather than a form of English or a variant of British Sign Language. Giving it a proper name was an important step in asserting its independence.

While Auslan shares historical roots with British Sign Language (BSL) and belongs to the same language family known as BANZSL, it has developed its own unique vocabulary, regional dialects, and grammatical features over more than a century. Signs for common words like family and school may differ significantly between Auslan and BSL, just as English and Dutch share Germanic roots but are clearly separate languages.

Having a proper name also helped in practical contexts. When advocating for interpreting services, Deaf education programs, or government recognition, being able to say “Auslan” rather than “Australian Sign Language” provided a more professional and linguistically equivalent term. It put Auslan on the same footing as named languages such as French, Japanese, or Swahili.

The naming also helped combat the misconception that sign languages are universal. By having a distinct name, Auslan is clearly identified as the sign language of Australia, different from American Sign Language (ASL), British Sign Language (BSL), New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL), and the hundreds of other sign languages used around the world.

Auslan Versus Other Sign Language Names

The naming convention used for Auslan follows a pattern seen in other sign languages. American Sign Language is commonly known as ASL, British Sign Language as BSL, and New Zealand Sign Language as NZSL. However, Auslan is unique in that its name is a blended word rather than a simple acronym.

If Australian Sign Language followed the same pattern as ASL and BSL, it would likely be abbreviated as “AuSL” or similar. The decision to create a portmanteau instead was deliberate. Johnston felt that a blended word would be easier to pronounce, more distinctive, and would better serve as a proper name rather than a clinical abbreviation.

Other sign languages around the world have taken different approaches to naming. Langue des Signes Française (LSF) uses its French name, Deutsche Gebärdensprache (DGS) uses its German name, and Nihon Shuwa (NS) refers to Japanese Sign Language. In each case, the name reflects the cultural and linguistic context of the country where the language developed.

Within the BANZSL family, the three languages — BSL, Auslan, and NZSL — share roughly 80 percent of their vocabulary due to their common British origins. Despite this high degree of overlap, each has developed enough unique features to be classified as a separate language. The distinct names help reinforce this linguistic independence and prevent the three languages from being treated as mere dialects of one another.

The Significance of Naming a Sign Language

Naming a sign language carries deep cultural and political significance. For much of history, sign languages were dismissed as “gesture systems” or “mime” rather than being recognised as true languages. Giving a sign language a proper name is an act of linguistic recognition that affirms the language’s status and the community that uses it.

The Australian government recognised Auslan as a community language in 1991 and as a language of instruction for Deaf students. This recognition was made possible in part by the language having a clear, established name. Government policies, funding programs, and legislation could all reference “Auslan” specifically, making it easier to create targeted support for the Deaf community.

For Deaf Australians, the name Auslan is a source of pride. It represents their linguistic heritage, their cultural identity, and their right to communicate in their own language. When Deaf children learn that their language has a proper name — just like English, Mandarin, or Arabic — it reinforces the message that their language is valuable and legitimate.

The Disability Discrimination Act of 1992 and subsequent legislation have referenced Auslan in the context of communication access rights. Having a specific name for the language has made it possible to write clear, enforceable policies requiring Auslan interpreters in healthcare, legal, and educational settings.

Auslan Today and Its Growing Recognition

Today, Auslan is more visible in Australian public life than ever before. The COVID-19 pandemic brought Auslan interpreters into the spotlight as they appeared alongside state premiers during daily press conferences. This exposure introduced millions of hearing Australians to Auslan and generated widespread interest in learning the language.

TAFE colleges and universities across Australia now offer formal courses in Auslan, from introductory certificates to advanced diplomas. Organisations such as Deaf Australia and state-level Deaf societies provide community classes and workshops that welcome learners of all levels.

Online resources have made Auslan more accessible than ever. The Auslan Signbank provides video demonstrations of thousands of signs, while platforms like Deafened.org offer dictionary entries for words such as water and food to help beginners build their vocabulary.

Primary and secondary schools are also beginning to offer Auslan as a language elective, placing it alongside languages like French, Japanese, and Indonesian. The Australian Curriculum includes Auslan as a recognised language, which means students can study it for their school-leaving certificates in several states.

The story of what Auslan is short for is ultimately a story about recognition, identity, and respect. From a language that once had no agreed-upon name to one that is studied in universities and used in parliament, Auslan has come a long way. Understanding the origin of its name is the first step toward understanding the rich language and culture it represents.

Related Articles

• What Is Auslan Language
• What Is Australian Sign Language Called
• What Is Auslan Sign Language
• Australian Sign Language Vs British