German sign language (DGS)
The abbreviation DGS stands for German Sign Language. DGS has an independent and complex language system that differs fundamentally in its grammar from German spoken and written language. It has been recognized as a fully-fledged language in Germany since 2002.
DGS is a language that has developed within the German deaf community. Its vocabulary is not uniform throughout Germany, but has a number of dialects, comparable to German spoken language (in Bavaria, for example, people speak and sign differently than in North Rhine-Westphalia). This is why there may be vocabulary in some regions that is not used in others. Typical of this are so-called idioms. One reason for the strong development of dialects in German Sign Language is certainly that it was only officially recognized in 2002. Another reason is that German Sign Language was frowned upon for a long time in early learning and education. As a result, it usually only developed in secret during kindergarten and school years without any supra-regional reference or exchange with other peers or adults.
Source: Deutscher Gehörlosen-Bund e.V.