Is Sign Language a Language?

[Mark A Mandel]

        [Raymond Lee:]
#I thought "signed language" referd to something like "signed English"
#whereas "sign language" refers to the sign language as used by the
#Deaf. Imay be wrong.

        [Geoffrey Hunt:]
#For any substantive argument on usage of the two alternatives I would
#have to defer to others.  You may be right in what you say in your
#second paragraph, I just do not know.  Personally, I prefer 'signed
#language' as it parallels more clearly with 'spoken language' ('sign
#language' would parallel 'speech language').

But in actual English usage "sign language" is already well established.
I have only ever seen "signed language(s)" used by sign linguists,
including myself; and as far as I can recall, I only use it in contrast
to "spoken language(s)", when focusing on the contrast in medium.

I have never been aware of such a distinction as Mr. Lee has inferred,
though I can see how he could have reached that conclusion.

-- Mark A. Mandel
   Linguistic Data Consortium, University of Pennsylvania



#
#Geoffrey
#
#-----Original Message-----
#From: For the discussion of linguistics and signed languages.
#[mailto:SLLING-L at ADMIN.HUMBERC.ON.CA]On Behalf Of Philocophus
#Sent: Saturday, May 03, 2003 12:24 PM
#To: SLLING-L at ADMIN.HUMBERC.ON.CA
#Subject: Re: Is Sign Language a Language?
#
#
#I thank you for your response, but have one small query. Is there a difference
#between the terms "sign language" and "signed language" which you use? If so,
#what is the difference from a linguist's persective?
#
#
#Raymond Lee
#