Reassessing Minority Language Empowerment from a Deaf perspective: the other 32 Languages
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The paper begins by outlining the linguistic basis for conceiving Deaf communities primarily as language minorities rather than disability groups, and delineates their history and the linguistic oppression they have experienced. It then describes the recent developments towards partial recognition within the European scene and their present limitations. The paper argues for Deaf 'ownership' of their own agenda and for non-Deaf peoples' participation as allies towards the accomplishment of this agenda. The paper discusses two main Deaf agendas for change. The first is concerned with internal reconstruction, the re-building of Deaf communities by Deaf people, and the need for educational provision in sign language to be made available to Deaf children. The second is concerned with external liaison enabling access and building genuine social inclusion of Deaf people, a marker of a truly civil society.