Article on Historical Sign and Deaf People

[Karlin, Ben]

Sept 28, 1998 Charles Butler sent the SignWriting list a fascinating article
he had authored for the Society for Creative Anachronism on Medieval
Signing.  The article was entitled "Chironomy, Chirology, Mime, Gesture and
Sign Language" and he described it as "A short article on documentation of
sign language from medieval period sources.

A recent issues of Disability and Society has published an article which I
think of as a companion, "Signing in the Seraglio: mutes, dwarfs and
jestures at the Ottomon Court 1500-1700."  It may be of interest to some on
the list.  The complete reference is:

Miles, M.  "Signing in the Seraglio: mutes, dwarfs and jestures at the
Ottomon Court 1500-1700."  Disability & Society, Vol 15, No 1, 2000, pp
115-134.

Miles notes in the references his/her own webpages on the Educational and
social responses to disabilities & childhood in a variety of Eastern and
Middle Eastern cultures.  The references are (Middle East and South Asia)
<http://www.socsci.kun.nl/ped/whp/histeduc/mmiles/mesabib1.html> and (China,
Japan and Korea)
<http://www.socsci.kun.nl/ped/whp/histeduc/mmiles/e-asiabib1.html>.

If anyone would like a copy of the Charles Butler article, I will be writing
him and ask whether I may forward a copy from my old e-mail, or if he would
allow me to post his e-mail address.  Those on the old sw-l list at Humber
College might be able to retrieve a copy from the archive.  I'll give it a
try and see if I can do it, then share instructions with those interested.

I DO NOT HAVE THE TEXT OF THE MILES ARTICLE IN A FORM THAT I CAN SHARE.
Check with a local library, university or medical center library to see if
they carry Disability & Society.

Sorry for crossposting, those of you who got two copies and read this far.

Ben Karlin, St Louis, MO, USA