AAA call for papers

[Leila Monaghan]

This is a late call for papers for a session entitled  "When is Language?:
Explorations of the Politics of Awareness" to be submitted to the Society for
Linguistic Anthropology at the American Anthropological Association meeting
November 20-24, 2002 in lovely New Orleans.

WHEN IS LANGUAGE?: EXPLORATIONS OF THE POLITICS OF AWARENESS

As many sign language researchers have found, thriving languages may often not
be recognized as languages because of a variety of assumptions about the
nature of languages and vested interests that fight recognition of linguistic
forms outside of a standard language or standard languages.   This panel will
explore the implications of and fight for recognition of linguistic forms at
both the micro and macro level.   Papers might include close analysis of
discussions about language and communication, nuanced examinations of
movements for language recognition  and linguistic rights, and papers laying
out the results of considering specific language forms within paradigms
developed for other languages.

By collecting a variety of viewpoints on this subject, we hope to show the
range of reactions and the connection between small-scale linguistic
ideological stances and larger social movements.  For example, the fight for
recognition of New Zealand Sign Language in New Zealand was preceded by an
understanding in the community that deaf children communicated in quite
different ways from the hearing adults around them.  Central themes in this
communicative system include how body slips such as tripping and falling could
be read as linguistic forms revealing the weakness  of otherwise powerful
authorities.

Papers about sign languages, spoken languages that have been denied or fit
uneasily within specific linguistic paradigms, or other systems such as
gestural codes or computer languages are solicited.

                                         *    *     *     *     *
As time is short (everything has to be submitted by April 1 and organizers
need time to pull everything together), please reply asap.  Papers will be
submitted on line.  I will provide details for interested parties.

Leila Monaghan
monaghan at temple.edu


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