Melanie Metzger

Bilingualism and Identity in Deaf Communities Melanie Metzger

Publisher Marketing: "All sociocultural groups offer possible solutions to the dilemma that a deaf child presents to the larger group, " write Claire Ramsey and Jose Antonio Noriega in their essay, "Ninos Milagrizados: Language Attitudes, Deaf Education, and Miracle Cures in Mexico." In this case, Ramsey and Noriega analyze cultural attempts to "unify" deaf children with the rest of the community. Other contributors report similar phenomena in deaf communities in New Zealand, Nicaragua, and Spain, paying particular attention to how society's view of deaf people affects how deaf people view themselves. Publisher Marketing: Akin to the questions of perception and identity, a second theme pervasive in this collection, is the impact of bilingualism in deaf communities. Peter C. Hauser offers a study of an American child proficient in both American Sign Language (ASL) and Cued English while Annica Detthow analyzes "transliteration" between Spoken Swedish and Swedish Sign Language. Like its predecessors, this sixth volume of the Sociolinguistics series distinguishes itself by the depth and diversity of its research, making it a welcome addition to any scholar's library. Review Citations:

Reference and Research Bk News 08/01/2001 pg. 139 (EAN 9781563680953, Hardcover)

Contributor Bio:  Metzger, Melanie Melanie Metzger is Professor in the Department of Interpretation at Gallaudet University, Washington, DC. Earl Fleetwood is a staff interpreter with Sign Language Associates, Inc., and an adjunct instructor in Gallaudet University's Master of Arts in Interpretation program.