Direito Linguístico (Linguistic Law) and the Regulation of Libras

This article examines how Brazilian federal law regulates Brazilian Sign Language (Libras) through the articulation of linguistic rights and duties linked to fundamental rights. Grounded in Direito Linguístico (Linguistic Law), it maps federal legislation enacted after the legal recognition of Libras in 2002, focusing on labour, political participation, and healthcare. The analysis shows that linguistic regulation is largely structured through accessibility norms and sector-specific legal instruments, alongside language-specific policy. While this framework establishes binding obligations, persistent failures derive not from normative insufficiency, but from institutional practices and prevailing conceptions of language and deafness that remain misaligned with Deaf communities’ claims to linguistic agency and self-determination. Keywords: Linguistic Law; Brazilian Sign Language (Libras); linguistic rights and duties; linguistic regulation; Deaf rights.