Libras is a language that has been recognized by law since 2002 and represents one of the greatest advances in the inclusion of deaf people in Brazil. More than just a set of gestures, it is a complete language, with its own grammar and structure, which guarantees the right to communication and full participation in society.

What is Libras?

The Brazilian Sign Language (Libras) is the main means of communication for deaf people in the country. Like Portuguese, it has grammar, vocabulary and expressions that develop from specific linguistic rules.

In Libras, communication takes place through signs formed with the hands, accompanied by facial expressions, body movements and points of articulation. All these elements are fundamental to conveying meaning and emotion. Each sign corresponds to a concept, not an isolated word, and their combination forms complete sentences with their own structure.

Curiosities about Libras and its variations

As a living language, Libras also has regional and social variations, just like the Portuguese spoken in Brazil. The same sign can have slight differences in shape or movement depending on the region, age group or even the group to which the speaker belongs.

These variations arise naturally as deaf communities develop in different cultural and geographical contexts. In many cases, signs reflect expressions typical of each state or city, incorporating traits of the local culture and creating a linguistic identity of their own.

There is also slang and new signs that accompany changes in society, especially among younger people, demonstrating the language's ability to adapt and showing that it is a language in constant evolution, shaped by the experiences, habits and creativity of the people who use it.

The origin of the Brazilian Sign Language

The history of Libras began during the Empire period and is linked to the creation of the first school for the deaf in Brazil. In 1855, Emperor Dom Pedro II invited French teacher Ernest Huet, who had been deaf since the age of 12, to come to the country and teach hearing-impaired children and young people.

Two years later, in 1857, the Imperial Institute for the Deaf-Mute was founded in Rio de Janeiro, which today is called the National Institute for the Education of the Deaf (INES). The creation of the school was made official in 1857 and marked the beginning of deaf education in Brazil.

Huet was the institute's first director and brought the teaching model used in French Sign Language (LSF). He mixed these signs with gestures that were already used by Brazilian deaf people, which ended up giving rise to a new form of communication, the basis of the Brazilian Sign Language.

The use of Libras was devalued for a long time. In 1880, the Milan Congress in Italy decided that deaf people should be taught only by speech, without the use of signs. This idea spread around the world and reached Brazil, where Libras was banned from schools for decades.

Change began to take place in the 1970s, when experts began to advocate total communication, i.e. the use of speech, lip-reading and sign language together. Later, this model evolved into bilingualism, which recognizes the importance of teaching both Libras and Portuguese.

With the 1988 Constitution, the right to education for all was reinforced, and the deaf community began to gain more space. In 2002, Law No. 10.436 officially recognized Libras as a Brazilian language.

Three years later, Decree No. 5.626/2005 detailed this law and determined that Libras should be taught in teacher training courses and used in schools, universities and public services with the support of interpreters.

Inclusion with Libras

Libras plays an important role in building a more accessible society. It is through Libras that deaf people are able to communicate, study, work and participate in different spaces with greater autonomy.

When it is present in schools, companies and public services, Libras helps to make communication fairer and brings together people who might otherwise be isolated. For this reason, more and more institutions have sought to encourage the learning and use of sign language in everyday life.

At Neoenergia, for example, all employees have access to a Libras course, as well as taking part in events and actions aimed at raising awareness about the inclusion of people with disabilities.

But inclusion only really happens when government, society and companies work together. Creating public policies, investing in training and valuing simple attitudes, such as learning the main signs or ensuring interpreters at events, are ways of making room for everyone.

Libras alphabet and main signs

The Libras manual alphabet is made up of signs made with one hand and represents each letter of the Portuguese alphabet. It is mainly used to spell out proper names, places, acronyms and words that don't yet have a specific sign.

Each letter has a different hand shape and the combination of these signs makes it possible to form any word. It is the starting point for those who are beginning to learn Libras, as it helps them to understand the logic of the language and to train their coordination of movements.

The alphabet in Brazilian Sign Language is also a practical way of communicating when you don't know the sign of a word. Even those who haven't mastered the language can use the alphabet to make themselves understood in simple situations.

How to learn Libras

Learning Brazilian Sign Language is simpler than it sounds and anyone can get started. Today there are many ways to learn, from formal courses to simple day-to-day activities:

1. Courses

Courses are the starting point for anyone who wants to learn with proper guidance. They are available at universities, public institutions, specialized schools and also on free online platforms.

2. Books

Books help reinforce what you've learned in class and expand your vocabulary. There are options that present the manual alphabet, the most common signs and even explanations of grammar and deaf culture.

3. Practice activities in Libras

Practice is what makes learning more natural. Watching videos, films and series with interpretation in Libras, following deaf pages and creators on social networks and trying to use the signs in everyday situations are simple ways of keeping in touch with the language.

The more Libras becomes part of everyday life, the easier it becomes to communicate and each new sign learned represents an important step towards inclusion and respect for diversity.

Learn more about Diversity:

• Diversity and Social Inclusion
• Diversity at Neoenergia
• Braille