LL-L "Language survival" 2003.09.14 (06) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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L O W L A N D S - L * 14.SEP.2003 (06) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
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A=Afrikaans Ap=Appalachian B=Brabantish D=Dutch E=English F=Frisian
L=Limburgish LS=Lowlands Saxon (Low German) N=Northumbrian
S=Scots Sh=Shetlandic V=(West)Flemish Z=Zeelandic (Zeêuws)
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From: Sandy Fleming [sandy at scotstext.org]
Subject: "Language survival"

> From: Sandy Fleming [sandy at scotstext.org]
> Subject: "Sign Languages"
>
> Lowlanders,
>
> I've been looking at a list of sign languages which have been
> submitted for
> ISO coding. I've never seen such a full list of sign languages
> and found the
> mere listing of them very interesting. Apparently there's an "Old Kentish
> Sign Language", which might explain some of the remarks I've
> heard from deaf
> people about problems with signing in Kent!

Yesterday I was speaking to a deaf Kentishwoman (or maybe she was a Woman of
Kent, I didn't ask!), and she said that although she was brought up with BSL
she did know of a different sort of signing in Kent, which she described as
used by older people, and signed using rather small signs in a little box
area in front of the body, and that it's probably dying out.

While speaking to her, something she said reminded me of a TV programme I
saw many years ago about a centre being set up in Kent to record as many of
the local signs as possible, because they were so different from the normal
signs seen in BSL.

This will be a familiar pattern to members of this list - minority languages
being identified with older people, described as dying out, and official
efforts to preserve it instigated only when it's almost too late, and by
identifying it as a local variant of the "normal" language, so that only
vocabulary and not grammar is recorded.

She did say, however, that Martha's Vineyard Sign Language in Massachussetts
was perhaps derived from Old Kentish Sign Language rather than BSL (American
Sign Language as spoken throughout most of the USA and Canada was derived
from French Sign Language with some elements from American Indian sign
languages, while Australian and New Zealand sign languages were derived from
BSL).

As for OKSL being signed in a little box in front of the body, I've observed
this in most older BSL signers as well, so that it doesn't really suggest
much, other than perhaps earlier in the 20th people signed more "quietly" so
as not to draw attention to themselves as deaf people. This variation can
also be seen amongst younger people however - some sign very quietly, sone
are quite loud and it's up to passers-by to stay out of the way of a punch
or a slap  :)  (more seriously, I don't think I've seen any accidents like
this amongst experienced signers, but I have seen beginners knock full beer
glasses off the table and clean across the room!).

Sandy
http://scotstext.org/

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