A Sociolinguistic Study on the spread and transformation of sign language for the deaf: concerning language contact and pidginization of sign language

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25580090
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Linguistics
• Research Institution: Toyohashi University of Technology
• Principal Investigator: Kato Mihoko 豊橋技術科学大学, 工学部, 教授 (30194856)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): MATSUMOTO Tadahiro 岐阜大学, 工学部, 准教授 (00199879)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 日本手話 / 日本語対応手話 / 言語接触 / ピジン化 / 手話の普及 / 手話の変容

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, the different expressions of Japanese Sign Language (JSL) used by Japanese deaf people (native signers) and by Japanese hearing people (non-native signers) are described. Considering the spread of JSL, transformation of the sign language was studied from a sociolinguistic perspective.
In Japan there are two main factors that push the spread of sign language forward. One is a social movement due to an increased interest in JSL from non-native signers, which has led to more people taking the JSL proficiency examinations and the other is the “Japanese Sign Language Act” of 2012. Furthermore this has caused increased diversity in the use of JSL. The sign language used by the hearing people is apt to become more like spoken Japanese, and the sign language expressions used by the deaf are therefore also becoming more like spoken Japanese. Though transformation of JSL includes both pros and cons, it is proof of the diversity and vitality of the language.

Free Research Field

社会言語学