濒危手语保护:国际经验与中国路径

Preservation of Endangered Sign Languages:International Experiences and Chinese Paths

语言是文化的载体,任何语言的濒危和灭绝都是全人类的共同损失。濒危语言已成为国际社会语言学界高度关注的议题,但目前的研究成果多集中于有声语言领域,聋人手语濒危问题尚未获得足够关注。作为聋人群体使用的主要沟通工具,手语近年来受医疗、科技的进步和早期干预的普及影响,使用范围不断缩小,生存空间日渐逼仄,濒危态势渐趋明显。本文回顾了目前手语濒危的现状、原因,总结了对濒危手语的评估手段和手语保护的国际经验,对我国的手语保护工作提出建议。

Language is the carrier of culture.The endangerment or extinction of any language is a shared loss for all mankind.Language endangerment has become a topic of great concern in the field of sociolinguistics across the globe,but most of the current research outcomes have focused on the field of spoken languages,and the issue of the endangerment of sign languages has not yet received sufficient attention.As the main communication tool used by the Deaf community,sign languages have been affected by medical and technological advances and the popularity of early intervention in recent years.The scope of its use has been constantly shrinking,the living space is becoming increasingly cramped,and the endangered situation has become more and more apparent.This paper reviews the current status and causes of sign language endangerment,summarizes the assessment tools for endangered sign languages and international experiences in sign language preservation,and makes suggestions for the protection of sign languages in China.