Writing The Smile: Language Ideologies In, And Through, Sign Language Scripts

Abstract

This article explores the relationship between language ideology and script by detailing an emerging set of practices for writing sign languages. Though sign languages have often been considered un-writable, signers worldwide are increasingly producing written sign language texts using Sutton SignWriting (SW), a writing system originally developed for dance notation. After comparing SW to Stokoe Notation, a sign language script developed by a prominent sign language linguist, this article draws on texts produced by SW users, and the metalinguistic discussion of these texts on an email listserve, to demonstrate that use of SW allows its users to articulate and challenge dominant, and often tacit, ideologies about the nature of language and writing.

Publisher

Elsevier

Publication Date

10-1-2011

Publication Title

Language & Communication

Department

Anthropology

Document Type

Article

DOI

https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.langcom.2011.05.008

Keywords

Signed languages, Writing systems, Language ideologies

Language

English

Format

text

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