Język migowy źródłem pamięci społecznej Głuchych
Sign Language as a Source of the Social Memory of the Deaf

Summary/Abstract: RESEARCH OBJECTIVE: The objective of this article is to highlight the key role played by sign language in preserving social memory among the Deaf community. THE RESEARCH PROBLEM AND METHODS: In order to pursue the above‐stated research objective, the authors conducted a review of the contemporary literature on the topic and historical literature sources. THE PROCESS OF ARGUMENTATION: The paper begins with the presentation of the cultural definition of Deafness juxtaposed against the medical approach, in which the Deaf are perceived exclusively as disabled individuals in need of rehabilitation. In the cultural approach, by contrast, Deafness is viewed as a distinguishing element crucial for the inclusion of individuals into a particular linguistic minority, in which the factor that integrates members of the group is not an aural dysfunction, but rather the use of sign language as the method of everyday communication. Next, issues related to the cultural and educational role of visual­‐spatial language are presented: an examination of the long history of sign language being eliminated from the education of Deaf individuals (with the teaching of phonic articulation and lip­‐reading being stressed instead) is here considered as a prelude to understanding the fundamental role of sign language in shaping the sense of community among the Deaf. RESEARCH RESULTS: Sign language is here viewed as a medium and expression of culture that codes concepts and definitions vital for the Deaf community, such as audism, oralism, paternalism, and bilingualism. The article stresses the need to support the culture­‐defining and social role of sign language through promotion and documentation, including the creation of sign language corpora (large collections of video recordings of signers using sign language). CONCLUSIONS, INNOVATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS: This article emphasizes the need to support sign language as a source of Deaf culture and social memory. One of the suggested ways to promote the language involves its documentation in the form of a corpus of video recordings that may serve as a data source and a tool boosting the prestige of sign language.

• Details
• Contents