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Collaborative Research on Nigerian Sign Language

Poster · January 2018

DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.27189.58088

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Emmanuel Asonye Ezinne Edith Emma-Asonye

University of New Mexico University of New Mexico
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 Collaborative Research on Nigerian Sign Language
Emmanuel Asonye, PhD. easonye@unm.edu
Ezinne Emma-Asonye eemmaasonye@unm.edu
92nd Linguistics Society of America (LSA) Annual Meeting
Salt-Lake City, Utah, Jan 4-7, 2018

Problem ▪ 2016
▪ Nigerian Sign Language has ▪ Survey of two Deaf schools in Abuja
▪ Signed language & deaf demographic data
often been misrepresented Signed collected
in literature (Asonye, 2017). language ▪ Family intervention program introduced
▪ Little or no indigenous study prior data ▪ Team: Linguists (from Nigeria & Ghana,
collection Deaf educator (from the USA), medical
to 2014
professionals, SL interpreters, volunteers
▪ Foreign scholars (such as Nyst, Family
2015, etc.) classify it as a dialect of engagement ▪ 2017
program
ASL ▪ Study of 5 deaf schools and 1 deaf
▪ Many studies (such as Ajavon, 2003; Deaf literacy association in Lagos
assessment ▪ Team: linguists, 1 deaf counselor & 1 deaf
Eleweke, 2003) center on Deaf
educator (from the USA), other
education, Deaf inclusion
professionals
Claim ▪ Signed language & deaf demographic

▪ NSL is marginalized and Results data collected.

▪ Peer mentoring program introduced
endangered. ▪Increased awareness of NSL among ▪ Meetings with government officials
▪ Manually Coded English (MCE) was language users ▪ “CODAs and Parents Must Sign
Campaign” launched in 5 States of
adopted for Deaf education after ▪Increased interest among collaborators for Nigeria.
Foster’s legacy (Asonye, Emma-
Asonye & Edward, forthcoming) documentation ▪ Campaign encourages parents of deaf
▪ Indigenous signs do not thrive ▪More linguists interested in studying children and children of deaf adults to
learn indigenous signs
▪ Deaf children lack early, consistent signed language linguistics
and rich exposure to NSL ▪ Findings
▪ Deaf adults have poor linguistic Next Steps ▪ MCE is used in all 27 deaf
competency ▪ More studies and publications schools studied across Nigeria &
Proposal/Goal ▪ Proposed ELDP grant for documentation 3 deaf associations’ meetings
▪ To document and Conclusion ▪ Over 90% Deaf, deaf educators, and SL
revitalize NSL ▪ NSL is endangered interpreters believe they are using ASL
▪ Document indigenous NSL, ▪ Only 1.8% of hearing parents
eliminate MCE ▪ Imposition of foreign signs has done
can sign
▪ Implement Newborn Hearing more harm than good (Schmaling, 2003) ▪ Over 95% of deaf have hearing parents
Screening and Early Intervention ▪ Effort is being made to document NSL ▪ Signed language (MCE) learned only in
▪ Introduce signed language
linguistics to Nigerian universities ▪ Revitalization of NSL depends on schools
collaborative efforts ▪ Most common cause (75%) of
Collaborative efforts deafness is illness
▪ 2014 References
▪ Asonye, E. (2017b, Sept. 3). What’s this fuss about ▪ Deaf population perceived as a disability
▪ Collaborative team formed Nigerian Sign Language? [Blog post]. group, not a cultural group
▪ Team: linguists, medical Retrieved from: http://s-deli.org/whats-fuss-nigerian- ▪ Deaf population is a highly marginalized
professionals, lawyers, social sign-language/ linguistic minority
workers, etc. ▪ Asonye, E., Edward, M. & Emma-Asonye, E.
▪ Survey of Deaf school Orodo Imo (forthcoming). Deaf in Nigeria: A Preliminary
▪ Indigenous sign in use by 15%
State Study on Isolated Deaf Communities. of Deaf in Abuja Deaf Center
▪ Signed language data collected, Deaf ▪ Schmaling, C. (2003). A for Apple: the impact of Western ▪ Signers did not attend formal school
demographic data collected, etc. education and ASL on the deaf community in Kano, Northern ▪ Deaf adults over 40 years of age
▪ Signed language classes for parents Nigeria. In Monaghan, L. F. et al (Eds.). Many ways to be deaf:
▪ Migrated from different parts of the
of deaf children International variation in deaf communities. Washington, DC:
Gallaudet University Press.
country
▪ 2015 ▪ Eleweke, J. (2002). “A review of issues in deaf education under ▪ Attend deaf association gatherings, but
▪ Survey of Deaf association, Imo Nigeria’s 6-3-3-4 education are isolated in their home communities
State system”. Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education.
▪ Deaf demographic data collected 7(1) 74-82. Oxford University Press. Acknowledgements
▪ Community engagement programs ▪ Nyst, V. (2010) Sign Language varieties in West Africa. In Sign ▪ Many thanks to members of the Deaf community in
▪ Sensitization forums with hearing Languages: Cambridge Nigeria for their cooperation with our research
parents language Survey. Ed. Diane Brentari. Pp. 405-432. efforts
Cambridge, Cambridge University.

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