A Checklist of Dictionaries of National Sign Languages of Deaf People

A CHECKLIST OF DICTIONARIES OF NATIONAL SIGN LANGUAGES OF DEAF PEOPLE Simon J. Carmel Listed below by country of origin are dictionaries, both recent and older, of the sign languages of deaf people in 46 countries (listed in Appendix) represented in the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD) as well as compilations of international signs by the WFD and others. It is hoped that this list may1 . furnish bibliographical information needed by librarians in residential and mainstreamed schools for deaf and hard-ofhearing students; 2. provide many disciplines (e.g. anthropology, history, linguistics , psychology, sociology, special education) material for comparative analysis and research; 3. inform sign language teachers about other sign languages; 4. guide persons with an interest in sign languages. Under the sponsorship of the National Association of the Deaf in the US, in February 1988 I began compiling a bibliography of old and new books about national sign languages for the deaf. I mailed a questionnaire (see Appendix A) to 76 WFD-affiliated national federations or associations of deaf people asking for their assistance. At the start, only a few countries responded. Follow -up notices were mailed and by 1989 52 of 76 countries had responded; of those, 46 reported having dictionaries of their own national sign languages in print. Peru and Saudi Arabia reported that they have published their dictionaries but they did not send full bibliographic information. Egypt, Hong Kong and Malta are planning to publish national dictionaries in the near future. Other countries (Bangladesh, Panama , Syria for all Arab countries, and Uganda) are just starting to collect the signs for planned dictionary publication. Informants in associations of the deaf in several countries did not send references because the books about their national sign languages were published by hearing individuals who had not consulted with deaf people and were thought to contain erroneous information. Finally, several countries in South America reported needing @1992 Linstok Press, Inc. ISSN 0302-1475 National sign language dictionaries assistance in learning how to collect signs for future publication. In addition to the titles listed in the responses, titles are included from the bibliography of my International Hand Alphabet Charts(1982, 2nd edition). According to the evidence of the respondents, only seven countries (Brazil, Denmark, Finland , France, Poland, Sweden, and the US) have sign dictionaries published between 1850 to 1920. The US and the USSR have more sign language dictionaries than other countries. Interestingly , the number of publications of national sign languages roughly doubled between 1960 and 1970 and again between 1970 and 1980. Some countries have revised, expanded, or republished their respective sign language books in the same decade or later. (See the "hypothetical" curve in Figure 1.) It is possible that there may be as many as 120 new national sign language dictionaries published in the decade of the 90s. I strongly recommend the following to future sign lexicographers and other researchers: 1. Although it is very expensive, drawings of signs, rather than photographs, should be used because of the improved clarity and depth they give face, fingers, hands, and arms; 1 2. All national associations of the deaf should send two copies of their new sign language dictionaries and/or videotapes to the office of the World Federation of the Deaf in Helsinki, Finland, for the WFD clearinghouse records and archives. Thus the WFD general secretary can keep the chair of the WFD Sign Language Commission well informed about new dictionaries reported; 3. The chair of the WFD Sign Language Commission should draw up general guidelines on how to collect signs for preparation and publication of an appropriate sign language dictionary , and send copies of the guidelines to all WFD-affiliated national associations of the deaf; 4. A representative, official, or researcher from each national association of the deaf should search national libraries and archive for earlier national sign language dictionaries or other 1.Recently developed computer software can inexpensively make line drawings virtually at will from photographic originals. [Ed.] Fall 1992 National sign language dictionaries related books or manuscripts that might be overlooked or misplaced in the library or archives; 5. The chair of the WFD Sign Language Commission should organize and maintain a computer data bank on...