Sociolinguistics in Deaf Communities

This is a collection of essays giving comprehensive coverage of the discipline of socio-linguistics in deaf communities. Topics of inquiry include: fingerspelling in Langue des Signes Quebecoise (LSQ) in Quebec, Canada; language used by a Navajo family with deaf children; language, policy, classroom practice and multiculturalism in deaf education; aspects of American Sign Language (ASL) discourse and of Filipino Sign Language discourse; and the nature and role of rhetorical langauge in deaf social movements. Among the contributors are: Dominique Machabee, Arlene Blumenthal-Kelly, Jeffrey Davis, Melanie Metzgber, Samuel Supalla, Barbara Gerner de Garcia, Liza B. Martinez, Kathy Jankowski and Ceil Lucas. The book affords a useful opportunity to assess up-to-date information on sign language linguistics worldwide, and its impact on policy and planning in education, interaction with spoken languages, interpreting and the issues of empowerment.