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Black southern signing1,2,3

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 December 2008

James C. Woodward Jr
James C. Woodward Jr
Affiliation:
Linguistics Research Lab., Gallaudet College
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Abstract

Recent research in American Sign Language (ASL) has concentrated on demonstrating that ASL, a language channelled through the manual—visual modality, has linguistic properties similar to those of oral languages, except for physical sound. The absence of sound, however, really presents no theoretical problem since ASL has a formational level of structure analogous to, but not dependent on, the phonological component of oral languages (Stokoe 1960; Battison 1974).

This paper will discuss a relatively new area of research in Sign linguistics, ethnic—social variation. Because of attitudes and educational policy, Black signers in the South have developed different varieties of signing from Whites. Concentrating primarily on Black signs in Georgia, this paper will discuss some of the lexical and formational (phonological) variation observed in old and young Black signers. (Sociolinguistic variation; sign languages; linguistic change; minority group languages.)

Type
Articles
Information
Language in Society , Volume 5 , Issue 2 , August 1976 , pp. 211 - 218
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1976

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References

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