Sign Language and its Systematization
Megan Throne
Background
Until the 16th century, it was widely believed that it was not possible to teach the deaf[1]. Unable to speak, deaf individuals were seen by the general public as inferior and unable to learn. Sporadic breakthroughs in educating deaf students had been made before the 1500s, but the methods used often expired before they were able to spread beyond a small concentration of individuals or transition to a new generation[2]. However, due to their experience with vows of silence, monks realized that being unable to speak differed from being unable to think or learn.
Turning Point
Spanish monk, Pedro Ponce de Leon, is recognized for creating a system for teaching the deaf during the late 1570s. His method included displaying objects to his students, writing down the objects’ names, and working with the students so that they could produce the sounds of the words. Though details concerning his work are scarce, it is known that his methods were effective for a good amount of his students and that his work, though not directly continued, inspired the creation of later methods[3].
In 1620, Juan Pablo Bonet, another Spanish monk who was influenced by de Leon, wrote the book, Reducción de las letras y arte para enseñar a hablar a los mudos (“Reduction of the Letters of the Alphabet and Method of Teaching Deaf-Mutes to Speak”). Rather than simply focus on learning pronunciation through written words, Bonet taught lip-reading, hand signs and a finger alphabet to his students[4], and in his book he made the “critical assumption” that “thought precedes language”[5].
Despite his contribution to deaf education, Bonet had not created a system that could be universalized; he was focused on the process of education rather than the language itself. Abbe Charles Michel de l’Epee, though, “rectified what he found defective in [sign language]; he expanded it and gave it methodical rules”[6]. His sign language, systematized in 1775, followed syntax a dictionary of signs and was used in a school for the deaf in Paris. His dictionary and those that followed contained not only the meanings of signs but the directions to manually create the signs.
Significance
The progression of deaf education coupled with the systematization of sign language allowed deaf individuals to receive proper education so they may contribute fully to their societies, and also allowed deaf communities throughout the world to connect and communicate through a universal, structured sign language. By providing a stable finger alphabet and syntax for sign language, education became more uniform. Countless sign languages do still exist around the globe, but ever since de l’Epee’s sign dictionary was introduced, sign languages can be systematized and taught just as spoken languages are.
[1] Van Cleve, John Vickery. Deaf History Unveiled.1993. p. 1.
[2] Marschark, Mark. Oxford Handbook of Deaf Studies, Language, and Education. 2003. p. 10-11
[3] “Ponce De Leon, Pedro De.” Encyclopedia of Special Education: A Reference for the Education of Children, Adolescents, and Adults with Disabilities and Other Exceptional Individuals. 2007.
[4] “Juan Pablo Bonet.” Encyclopedia Britannica. Encyclopedia Britannica Online Academic Edition. 2013.
[5] Marschark, Mark. Oxford Handbook of Deaf Studies, Language, and Education. 2003. p. 11
[6] “Sign Language.” Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. 2009.
Bibliography
Bonet, Juan Pablo. Reducción de las letras y arte para enseñar a hablar a los mudos. n.p.
Columbia Institution for the Deaf and Dumb: The Charles Baker Collection. n.d.
Hewes, Gordon W. “Primate Communication and the Gestural Origin of Language.” Current
Anthropology 14.1-2: 5-24. 1973.
“Juan Pablo Bonet.” Encyclopedia Britannica. Encyclopedia Britannica Online Academic
Edition. Encyclopedia Britannica Inc. 2013.
Marschark, Mark and Spencer, Patricia Elizabeth. Oxford Handbook of Deaf Studies, Language,
and Education. Oxford University Press. Oxford. 2003.
“Ponce De Leon, Pedro De.” Encyclopedia of Special Education: A Reference for the Education
of Children, Adolescents, and Adults with Disabilities and Other Exceptional Individuals.
Credo Reference. Hoboken. 2007.
“Sign Language.” Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. Encyclopedia Britannica, Credo Reference.
Chicago. 2009.
Van Cleve, John Vickery. Deaf History Unveiled. Gallaudet University Press. Washington. 1993.
Hewes, Gordon W. “Primate Communication and the Gestural Origin of Language.” Current
Anthropology 14.1-2 (1973): 5-24. Web. 17 September 2011.
Megan Throne
Background
Until the 16th century, it was widely believed that it was not possible to teach the deaf[1]. Unable to speak, deaf individuals were seen by the general public as inferior and unable to learn. Sporadic breakthroughs in educating deaf students had been made before the 1500s, but the methods used often expired before they were able to spread beyond a small concentration of individuals or transition to a new generation[2]. However, due to their experience with vows of silence, monks realized that being unable to speak differed from being unable to think or learn.
Turning Point
Spanish monk, Pedro Ponce de Leon, is recognized for creating a system for teaching the deaf during the late 1570s. His method included displaying objects to his students, writing down the objects’ names, and working with the students so that they could produce the sounds of the words. Though details concerning his work are scarce, it is known that his methods were effective for a good amount of his students and that his work, though not directly continued, inspired the creation of later methods[3].
In 1620, Juan Pablo Bonet, another Spanish monk who was influenced by de Leon, wrote the book, Reducción de las letras y arte para enseñar a hablar a los mudos (“Reduction of the Letters of the Alphabet and Method of Teaching Deaf-Mutes to Speak”). Rather than simply focus on learning pronunciation through written words, Bonet taught lip-reading, hand signs and a finger alphabet to his students[4], and in his book he made the “critical assumption” that “thought precedes language”[5].
Despite his contribution to deaf education, Bonet had not created a system that could be universalized; he was focused on the process of education rather than the language itself. Abbe Charles Michel de l’Epee, though, “rectified what he found defective in [sign language]; he expanded it and gave it methodical rules”[6]. His sign language, systematized in 1775, followed syntax a dictionary of signs and was used in a school for the deaf in Paris. His dictionary and those that followed contained not only the meanings of signs but the directions to manually create the signs.
Significance
The progression of deaf education coupled with the systematization of sign language allowed deaf individuals to receive proper education so they may contribute fully to their societies, and also allowed deaf communities throughout the world to connect and communicate through a universal, structured sign language. By providing a stable finger alphabet and syntax for sign language, education became more uniform. Countless sign languages do still exist around the globe, but ever since de l’Epee’s sign dictionary was introduced, sign languages can be systematized and taught just as spoken languages are.
[1] Van Cleve, John Vickery. Deaf History Unveiled.1993. p. 1.
[2] Marschark, Mark. Oxford Handbook of Deaf Studies, Language, and Education. 2003. p. 10-11
[3] “Ponce De Leon, Pedro De.” Encyclopedia of Special Education: A Reference for the Education of Children, Adolescents, and Adults with Disabilities and Other Exceptional Individuals. 2007.
[4] “Juan Pablo Bonet.” Encyclopedia Britannica. Encyclopedia Britannica Online Academic Edition. 2013.
[5] Marschark, Mark. Oxford Handbook of Deaf Studies, Language, and Education. 2003. p. 11
[6] “Sign Language.” Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. 2009.
Bibliography
Bonet, Juan Pablo. Reducción de las letras y arte para enseñar a hablar a los mudos. n.p.
Columbia Institution for the Deaf and Dumb: The Charles Baker Collection. n.d.
Hewes, Gordon W. “Primate Communication and the Gestural Origin of Language.” Current
Anthropology 14.1-2: 5-24. 1973.
“Juan Pablo Bonet.” Encyclopedia Britannica. Encyclopedia Britannica Online Academic
Edition. Encyclopedia Britannica Inc. 2013.
Marschark, Mark and Spencer, Patricia Elizabeth. Oxford Handbook of Deaf Studies, Language,
and Education. Oxford University Press. Oxford. 2003.
“Ponce De Leon, Pedro De.” Encyclopedia of Special Education: A Reference for the Education
of Children, Adolescents, and Adults with Disabilities and Other Exceptional Individuals.
Credo Reference. Hoboken. 2007.
“Sign Language.” Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. Encyclopedia Britannica, Credo Reference.
Chicago. 2009.
Van Cleve, John Vickery. Deaf History Unveiled. Gallaudet University Press. Washington. 1993.
Hewes, Gordon W. “Primate Communication and the Gestural Origin of Language.” Current
Anthropology 14.1-2 (1973): 5-24. Web. 17 September 2011.