6 - Transmission of sign languages in Africa

Summary

Introduction

This chapter provides an overview of sign language transmission in Uganda, one of the countries in East Africa. It is hoped that this chapter will increase readers' awareness about African sign languages since there is limited documentation as compared to European sign languages. We have gathered information on a wide range of topics pertaining to how the language is transmitted, used, disseminated and preserved. To examine sign language transmission in Uganda, a combination of methods for collection of data was used, including ethnographic observation, interviews and documentary analysis.

Working definitions: It is vital to draw readers' attention to the use of different definitions and their relationship from the linguistic point of view as observed in signed languages. “Transmission” according to the Collins English Dictionary is “the passing or sending of something to a different person.” Language transmission means a process whereby a language is passed on from generation to generation. The term “use” simply refers to the ability of language users to freely speak/sign the language for different purposes. How they use the language can reflect their feelings or attitudes toward the language. The term “dissemination” implies the situation where the language is spread to be used by other people within and outside the community. A measure employed by the language community to guard and promote the use of language to ensure its continuity in future generations is “preservation.”