Language in Hand: Why Sign Came Before Speech [Hardcover]

William C. Stokoe (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Signed language preceded spoken language in the evolutionary process, according to Stokoe (English and linguistics, Gallaudet Univ.), who passed away in April. His book persuasively demonstrates the worldwide diversity of signed languages and their viability as vehicles of both meaning and syntax. First, Stokoe explains with many examples how gestures can be true sentences (with both noun and verb components). He then supports his proposed order of linguistic development from four approaches: exploring the unique ability of visible signs to resemble what they represent, comparing human anatomy involved in gesture and speech to the anatomy of chimpanzees and other primates, examining signed languages still in use today among both hearing and hearing-impaired communities, and observing linguistic development in children. In this way, Stokoe not only effectively promotes the use of sign language in deaf education but also hopes to broaden the views of all who endeavor to help students achieve literacy. The complexity of signed language is examined in detail in Signed Languages through its selection of 13 papers presented at the 1998 Theoretical Issues in Sign Language Research Conference. This volume presents papers not published elsewhere. Moreover, more than half of the chapters discuss signed languages from other parts of the world, such as Sign Language of the Netherlands and the Hausa Sign Language from Nigeria. The editors divide the work into traditional areas of language study, such as morphology, syntax, psycholinguistics, and poetics. Further examination of the role of signed language in linguistic development is available in Sarah Taub's Language in the Body: Iconicity and Metaphor in American Sign Language (Cambridge Univ., 2001). Both volumes are highly recommended for specialized linguistics and deaf studies collections. Marianne Orme, West Lafayette, IN
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 232 pages
• Publisher: Gallaudet University Press; 1st edition (June 19, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 156368103X
• ISBN-13: 978-1563681035
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,440,411 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Defense of Interesting Theory of Language Development, February 25, 2002

By 

T. C. Ross (Washington, D.C.) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Language in Hand: Why Sign Came Before Speech (Hardcover)

In some ways, Language in Hand is an interesting mix of things, including a brief history of the development of sign language, some sociological discussion of the role of deaf people and deaf culture and how it has changed over time, a gloss of linguistic theories about language acquisition and development, a (small) descriptive grammar of ASL and comparison of ASL with other sign languages.

The overarching theory, however, is that as protohominoids evolved into early hominoids into modern humans, our ability to speak also gradually evolved. BUT, the ability to communicate developed before the physiological ability to speak developed, which means that some form of sign language preceded oral language. It's an interesting theory, and Stokoe makes his case well.

The book is quite readable and full of interesting anecdotes about his experiences and the history of sign language. He also does a good job of highlighting the many reasons that defining language in terms of something that is spoken is a misguided concept. Instead the grammar, action, actors, meaning, etc., that make up language can be expressed verbally in a language like English or German or they can be expressed equally well in language like American Sign Language or French Sign Language.