How to Ensure Bilingualism/Biliteracy in an Indigenous Context: The Case of Icelandic Sign Language
The paper discusses the implementation of a bilingual education language policy in the context of endangered indigenous sign language—Icelandic Sign Language (íslenskt táknmál, ÍTM). Unlike other indigenous endangered languages (e.g., Sámi), or other sign languages (e.g., American Sign Language, ASL...
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ftmdpi:oai:mdpi.com:/2226-471X/6/2/98/ 2023-08-20T04:07:24+02:00 How to Ensure Bilingualism/Biliteracy in an Indigenous Context: The Case of Icelandic Sign Language Elena Koulidobrova Rannveig Sverrisdóttir 2021-05-25 application/pdf https://doi.org/10.3390/languages6020098 EN eng Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/languages6020098 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Languages; Volume 6; Issue 2; Pages: 98 sign language bilingualism language policy heritage language audism language attitudes indigenous Text 2021 ftmdpi https://doi.org/10.3390/languages6020098 2023-08-01T01:47:48Z The paper discusses the implementation of a bilingual education language policy in the context of endangered indigenous sign language—Icelandic Sign Language (íslenskt táknmál, ÍTM). Unlike other indigenous endangered languages (e.g., Sámi), or other sign languages (e.g., American Sign Language, ASL), ÍTM has received certain recognition typically associated with equitable language policy—by law, it is considered the “first language” of the deaf/hard of hearing Icelanders; further, Iceland overtly states that ÍTM-signing children must be educated bilingually. However, we show that as a country that has committed itself to linguistic equality as well as the support of indigenous languages under the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous People, Iceland still has a way to go—both in terms of language attitudes and the associated implementations. We analyze the current situation focusing on the issues of bilingualism and biliteracy (vis-à-vis indigeneity and endangerment), explain the reason for the state of affairs by contextualizing the barrier to both for signers, and offer an explicit path forward which articulates the responsibilities of the power structures as well as potential outcomes related to revitalization, should these responsibilities be fulfilled. Text Iceland Sámi Sámi MDPI Open Access Publishing Languages 6 2 98 |
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sign language bilingualism language policy heritage language audism language attitudes indigenous |
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sign language bilingualism language policy heritage language audism language attitudes indigenous Elena Koulidobrova Rannveig Sverrisdóttir How to Ensure Bilingualism/Biliteracy in an Indigenous Context: The Case of Icelandic Sign Language |
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sign language bilingualism language policy heritage language audism language attitudes indigenous |
description |
The paper discusses the implementation of a bilingual education language policy in the context of endangered indigenous sign language—Icelandic Sign Language (íslenskt táknmál, ÍTM). Unlike other indigenous endangered languages (e.g., Sámi), or other sign languages (e.g., American Sign Language, ASL), ÍTM has received certain recognition typically associated with equitable language policy—by law, it is considered the “first language” of the deaf/hard of hearing Icelanders; further, Iceland overtly states that ÍTM-signing children must be educated bilingually. However, we show that as a country that has committed itself to linguistic equality as well as the support of indigenous languages under the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous People, Iceland still has a way to go—both in terms of language attitudes and the associated implementations. We analyze the current situation focusing on the issues of bilingualism and biliteracy (vis-à-vis indigeneity and endangerment), explain the reason for the state of affairs by contextualizing the barrier to both for signers, and offer an explicit path forward which articulates the responsibilities of the power structures as well as potential outcomes related to revitalization, should these responsibilities be fulfilled. |
format |
Text |
author |
Elena Koulidobrova Rannveig Sverrisdóttir |
author_facet |
Elena Koulidobrova Rannveig Sverrisdóttir |
author_sort |
Elena Koulidobrova |
title |
How to Ensure Bilingualism/Biliteracy in an Indigenous Context: The Case of Icelandic Sign Language |
title_short |
How to Ensure Bilingualism/Biliteracy in an Indigenous Context: The Case of Icelandic Sign Language |
title_full |
How to Ensure Bilingualism/Biliteracy in an Indigenous Context: The Case of Icelandic Sign Language |
title_fullStr |
How to Ensure Bilingualism/Biliteracy in an Indigenous Context: The Case of Icelandic Sign Language |
title_full_unstemmed |
How to Ensure Bilingualism/Biliteracy in an Indigenous Context: The Case of Icelandic Sign Language |
title_sort |
how to ensure bilingualism/biliteracy in an indigenous context: the case of icelandic sign language |
publisher |
Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute |
publishDate |
2021 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.3390/languages6020098 |
genre |
Iceland Sámi Sámi |
genre_facet |
Iceland Sámi Sámi |
op_source |
Languages; Volume 6; Issue 2; Pages: 98 |
op_relation |
https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/languages6020098 |
op_rights |
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.3390/languages6020098 |
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Languages |
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6 |
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2 |
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98 |
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1774718997168652288 |