SignWriting
List
August 12, 2005
ABSTRACT
Rissanen Niina
Writing Sign Language:
A Survey of Emergent Sign Language Literacy in
the Deaf Community
Autumn 2003
72 p. 12 appendices
The Diaconia Polytechnic, Turku Unit
Degree Programme in Sign Language Interpretation
Sign Language Interpreter (210 ECTS credits)
The aim of the present thesis was to survey and
present the subject of emergent Sign Language
Literacy. The subject was chosen due to its significance
but also for its novelty, since no previous study
on the subject has been made in Finland.
The thesis is based on the idea that Sign Languages
can be written as any other languages. As an evidence
for that, it is referred to the history of writing
spoken languages, the structural features of both
spoken and signed languages as well as the communities
that already use the written form of Sign Language.
Special attention is drawn to the system called
SignWriting and its users. On SignWriting, a three-phased
survey was made in which the first phase was accomplished
in the form of a personal interview, the second
one was a questionnaire whereas in the third phase
information was gathered via the Internet and
through personal contacts.
The results of the study show that Sign Languages
can be and actually are written languages, even
though it is not a widely spread conception among
the Deaf. While writing spoken language is a well-established
way of writing in many Deaf communities, written
Sign Language provides its users with additional,
remarkable possibilities. At present, in many
countries the first generation of the Deaf is
becoming literate in their native language, and
an increasing amount of Deaf and Hearing signers
are realizing the value of written Sign Language.
On the basis of the survey it is suggested that
Sign Language is not only a language in its own
right but it is also suitable to be used in a
written form of communication.
Keywords: Sign Language; writing systems; literacy;
reading; writing; survey; qualitative research.
The study is stored at the Diaconia Polytechnic,
Turku Unit. |