SUI p29 3 LANGUAGE AND TIE MAINTENANCE OF ETHINIC BOUNDARIES IN THE DEAF COMMUNITY rey Markos and James Woda Tings Reseech Laboratory ‘Gallas College tm thi paper! we attempt to present fst, # definition ut she Dea ‘armani, and second, 4 demonstration of te importance of Inge i ‘ranting the integrity fs soa ersmization, “The extensive ‘ersten enfese consis for the most pant of piyeholopwal stides of dest iid: The upon of th investiation is wal to compare the ineligence and performance of ei peuple with thse ‘of hearing people, The res yched by thi type of tsearch have been ‘contiadietry Some stu conchae hat te dat ae nen fo heating people in some pects of neligence and performance (MA lebus 1960), whe others Fd sont kids of dthtuon ne two groups ort 1966), "The important point to note shout the stad that hee fo esoiton ‘of the effets of the Desf experience ad of the Det subentire on the testing ‘iustion (Londe 1940), The nsumption i made by Ue eters thatthe ony ‘iferece Between the rao groups that one ha he ably to hear whe the ‘other doesnt. In other words, deat people ae newed as hescng people, with the exception that they cant eae ‘Some. profesional who work with deaf people have recemly begun to recognize the existence ofa Deal mine, witha ituchicl social struct ‘sown cute and language (Lunde 1960, Vernon & Makowsky 1969, Meadow 1972) Member of the Dea eammurity sche the profounll deaf the had ‘of heanng, the preligaly and the postingualy dea those. who have Ineligible ipecch aswell at thot who don't. The partclarGepre of healing es does not apeae tobe a eters for members. Rare instances of esrng memes for example some heating cideen af Dest parent, are also eprted Im Whe Wiertire (Schlesinger 1972, Furth 1973) Thew aeriptone, however, ‘may be questionable sce they ate mate by heang rewachere who we Uherselves part of the coment,(m he other ha thee at ss th Jet at ard of hearin people who have to contact with the Dea? mbeattre. They do not ienufy with ths Foc and the member do no accept them ito the community. A sly [Palen & Markowicr 1976) has ben ently undertaken a allude Colley. lMibert an lege for heaiag pated students, evolving the smal inoy Uinew stedents who had been peony eneufurted in the beating eunoaiy, Before entering Galler Colle, ti group of stents had not ‘aerated with ur deat people an Ue knew no Sgn language. The primary Sieve ofthat stady a fo fill de deny acaturation proces and 10 tote the kinds of eur conflicts they enaounter. After si months of Submerson inthe Deaf aueolure, ete evdence tht thse students at stil eluded fom nal sil interaction wih flow students who ae pat af he Deaf community The most obvows bate to partkpaton i the Deaf community nist: Gumpert (1978) expreses te slinate lationship berween a community. tt ‘ultare an is lrgauge "Largo is amultaneisty 2 store a epost Sal Knowledge, symbol uf wil entity an x media of interaction.” ‘The primary Tagg ge of the Deaf community Arian Sign Language ASL). Besides eing ie veracla Ianguage, it serves abo ab the principal Ulentfying chanctenstis He member (Seokve 1970, Woodward 197%, adden skovee 1970), “The lngge situation i the Deaf community can best be deserted as 2 huinguldglotic continuum between ASL and English (Stokue 1970, ‘Wootwand 1973. Although the community Bingul, most fis members ‘loot have naive competence Engl A small minority ~ some of te mos edly eduetedpelingully deaf, th hard of tearing an the poxtingaly deat “ue proficient in Englah, Using welig tess as ameasurng matron Furth (1966) found that by age 16 only 12 Sof We deat population demonstrate, ‘atvetke competence Engl. For the most pat prlngUally dea people are very limited in heir ability to emmmuniste only. Theie mechinialyy acquired. speech is gently Uniteligile to most people. Tey canot ens depend on renin since his ‘ills difficult and prempposes » knowledge ofthe spken langue. Writing Sion depends on knowing Eng, but aden ta tedious aml slow mode fcommunistion BY neces stration wit hearing peoples Tinted ‘rosscutual interaction “the majority cre expects tobe aired in ‘us own anguage”(Weinech 1968), However profesional why work with det people usually communicate though a stem of coline English into v Irunuataal channel By staging out annual sgn-vors nto Engh word fre The ase of hs system, ele anus! Engh o en English depends on Knowing Enplsh Since mont deaf people donot have complete coil of hs Fanguages x untinuum of ingot vvetcs has developed Detween ASL and English. These inemediate artes have bern sn To exhbe prgintine » shuractentice (Woodwand 1973, Woudward & Markowice 1973) Variation Song the ASLwEypish continuum i regular, rlegovermed. and eiteates With herhy of los weal wnbles. For example, peeple who ate Del People bom of Dea parents people who lested signs before the age uf in. and Deat people whe attended ssnecolge ui langate vanes hat mote chy appreach “pure” ASLs while people who ae Henne pple wo ve ean Daten. people who eared sgns after se ae f sn and Deal prope who rave hot attended any college Wn! to us laaguage vanes let Ihe “pure” ASL Woodward 19730, Dilouia e another emporant azpect of the Desf aubcultue. Signing that spproaches Englsh along the concn sts asthe "H™ warty and tends to be ed informal interaction, sich ak church, the cnstm, etre, it conversation with outiders. Signing that approaches ASL ic more ike the “L™ Navey io that i se nes formal suas uh a intnate conten Engish usualy comidered superior to ASL. wile ASL W olen reste as ‘ngrrimatieal or moneinert. Sgn lngesee dglouta appear owes sabe 33 coher digs situations ‘Although extensive interaction may occur Between members end oot suene sectoes of activity ae aot normally Incaded in crosclralreltions, Extended communication invlng an ouside does ol veces the ASL ent of the continu. I's heaig pein ons a conversation among Deat people tude switching to an Engishke sing he snmediat pons, tn is way. ‘ering ecole ae prevented frm leaning ASL and consequently, cera eis ‘the Deaf adbeultre remain zucceibe fo nonmembers. Masta patterns among Dest people canbe used wo dseate ths point. Fay (1898) ecordsan 65% rate of enogamous maroige, Rane 1211963) in Sumey of New York, hued Ut 98."% marrage of women Born deaf apd 91 ‘of marrage of women who became Seu tat ey ge Wet enlOpOUS Aecuise the rete of poaingal denen wae eich higher inthe past due (0 ‘Sezase, one can hypothesze at marital patterns have changed ver He ee {he tom of the century and probably before that inthe US. Det community Woodward & Markowice (1975) ao pont out tht since not all women inthe stuiy by Rainer etal were necesrly members of the Deat commit. the peventge of marsiaes across the ethnic boundary is possly veduced even Foner (Woodward 19753). Social dene appens 10 vary from the behavior of the socalled “DeaFDea” to Behar that is cartertie Uf heating peuple. Cultural vale ranifested in the diferent deres of Deaf behavior cam be placed on 2 ‘optnuum sina tothe langage continu described above Whe Deaf cultural ales and behavior Wewedojecely appear 10 ask on 2 continau, member of te Deaf corimueiy dchotomize others as ether members or nonmembers. These categorical chokes are made by means of ‘aties of certain socal sgnicant features Thus.» Boundary avn ”‘yound the Deal community and it cn be wowed 2 ethic group with which Irenives Henny an tebasiofa bac sentty (Bar 1949} Aeron to the Dest minority group seme prema tobe based on two cela I) atendance ‘a feental shod forte dea, and 2) commualzative competence in ASL {Stokoe eta 965) “The flowing demogrphic fet help explain why the sciaization of Jeat hidren take diferent patens Ten percent of deaf chiren are bom of eat aren Ter encltration natty takes ple f Be home-For the oer 90 "E wy have heen parents. sillastion depends ae onthe schools hey attend, Abst half of thi group attend residential shoals for the dea whee ‘hey are sociied to the Dest carimenaty by ele cen ad thei peers ‘vo hve Deaf parent (Meadow 1972) Mort young deaf cde do not ave ny contact with Det adult ‘The ihe half of te det chien with heaig parents atend speci Soy saci or the dea, or eae they ae tegrated nto regula schools, Generally Sea chldren who do not have Deaf pares and who do not attend resem ‘ols entify withthe hearing stcery in which they function with varying Agrees of tices They dot aon neact mith the members ofthe Deaf Ccomomiy. However, cuted above in reference to the Galaaet study adden & Markowicr 1976), wove indvauas Deume acclurated Ino the Beat comunity lee Me, Presumsbiy, thir new sv entity i the Deal omnunity fe more etsing han the aot tle they acted wut previously ‘heteanng comme eat chien der frum their counterparts. in otbr ethnic groups in wo ‘vporant ways. Fast ab sated above, eculueton itp the Dea subeuitore Sots not generally take pice within teem. Dea ere of heating parents Shen fe abnated from ther fis, Contact with Deat alts extremely Tented and ot usual for young de cients aagie that they 8 from up to be hearing lls. This acounts fr the portant role played by Deat chien of Deaf parents and oer Deaf chen sn the process of ncltrnton of wong deat cider “The second.ilerence rm chdren of ther tne goupe edu tothe fac, ‘hat hearing pied nda ae wed a requiring the satan of aus Spechlss ia De Tela of deanes.eg. sulilgiss. sete therapists ache oF the deat. and counselors: Deaf peaple normally ind themes cast the ‘ole of pupil lent patent, employe. while the individuals who play out the Sominant roles of teacher, doctor, spech teri, sual counelr. om Conplover, are iui hearing people. ln thew anymetnca interaction, deal ‘people ae often treated a detective hesing peopl, whl thes membershp in !uabeultre te oredr denigrate. Such encounters may have comtbuted 10 the formation of a Yeonquet™ culture (Aceves 1973). Like certain other ‘ninatty Boups. fe Deat community general does not pariat in the contmalof town insiations (Veron & Makowsky 1969) In tems af Hs sconomic, polities, and soci lations to he hearing sod, the Deaf minority ‘ane viewed 3 colon. “Lingaage varieties se 1 deni interaction within and benwen the Deal ard Netrngcuemuniies. ning that upproaes ASL primary used within ‘he Deaf community fi exinate ineaction of merber. Ths, the we of ASLIike signing sens to integrate Deaf people into the community and 10 assign to them socal le. while a the sme tne i exhudes outset om irumat nterson with members Pein Sign English (PSE) serves a5 pus an eat baer hat alos for only minimal iteration between he hearing and Deaf communis and ‘ee unly fora lied group of herng and Ova brokers (Would Martowier 1975) Ths poup cludes msty cllee educated Def wis shout I 2% of the De population, ane Reng profesional SE sos the tannin of ifumation is we mative nether Deaf noe heanng indole, bat sn chanel ta which the Des! person ck are tuned Information wefal to the community and te members can be vblained withou srg cltra itp and provp slaty. Tere ile chance ‘hat hearing peuple can stl intoduie new and contraicory delopy sto the community na fanguae other than ASL ASL serves ashe primary citrion fr Sentifeatin of self and oer as 8 members of the Des beatae, ahd for the promotion of wiry within the ‘soup. This socal function s a0 wnportant to the group thet sie commuety Inembers may on oecaion mien ea Deaf person » sil! Resin set ‘show sins approach ASL especally the enlenive se of consrtoes ke Siretenaty" in thoee dimensions) pace to represent agent beneficiary ‘elatonsips (Woodward 1975). This ica extremely tare tution, ince most hearing signers ae darted from lating ASL by the dase pressure that inane tat Dest sgner wil attempt to approach Eagaswhen signing with 38 ‘utr. The misilenicavon is oe bkely to exeut locales where ise far hearing people to sg a all nach es approach the angie vet hat the Dat commnity ents wih, Some foreign Dea iaivdal ven of Deal patente (Battzon, penonal communication), and. some. Deaf community ‘members who argued signs fate fe ie, ar ao misidentified ae earng people (tee so Kantor, 1977. Tn-arestuations "here heating individuals manage to thwart the Oglosie presvre, conflict will ane af what soil cle ths person should Mave in feation1o the Deaf community. since hearing people ae not supposed to San Ike Deaf people. Mere seme fo he Wo posible solutions to thi onli ‘change in_ interact pottens oc continued. iteacion on the sane {antempersona) level The most common way of healing this conic 10 reinforce the disse stution by codeswitching to Engh ike ignae® Tit may be viewed as stction for viathn of expected cultural valed an Tnguste moans. This dlc reinforcement eflectinely exudes the hearing »perion from deep integrative of interpersonal interaction, singe ASL, not Engl, ie used by most Detf people fOr thew fnetions. Thi ve-eretn of twallngvinic ouodanes should De sawed at pan of the. stake ‘eifeation of iniders and cates inthe Deaf community By sting 0 TSE. the Deaf community ember has propel reeled the ering person as a user Thus, the healag person i excel fn inate pesorl interaction withthe Deaf cammumty, thereby contbuting to the maitenaace fit autonomy and neg The other way of handizg. the conflict of Mentifcaion i to continue sotertng in ASL. This enplics te posit of fur intnate Interaction, The us of ASL means that Te hearing peta i ot ected 46 a outset bul sé incnported ito the commit sritre. This corporation, however doce rot neeuitate membership onthe Deaf community Bot rater something Ke ive satus of Teen the community. Some alld hearing signer who can fnproadh ASL may be able to conte for a udefinge tne i the role of ‘The definition of the Dsaf community propoed in tis paper appears to count for both the suisned celta! coniquim between the Dea ubeute nd the majonty cate. and te fc that cogestively there ext # dichotomy lone ethnic Ens. stations of guste Behavior i the Deal community Support the clam thats Tanguage staation plays an portant role inthe Iuitenance of a erie Boundary Thus, st cantbutes fo the maintenae of the pontine soll entities and satayng sogroup ntrction of He member (Pane of tis paper were preeaed at the Conference on Calta and Communication “helt at Temple University. March 13-18, 1975. Itz production was supported in gut by NSE Resesch Grant SOCTH-14724 and EH Rewarch Grant RO-21418-75-196, The fadings presented inthe pers not necesariy repent the vews ofthe granting snes. 2) Terghout this paper we we the convention of capitaitg the wont Deal when it eles to any spect ofthe Deal cummmty and Hemembers Uncapitaized “dea” rters wo the soiconel conto of deste. (2) nde we have not yet developed» specie theoretic! mode! to handle these data we fel dat sme modiction Of Bae’s (1973) wave model (4 The cate-witching empome canbe ely ceed. The prestue to switch to Eopsh wit hearag person extenely srg, Woodward (1976-216) reports the flloming example rm linguistic. constants who. were consi tying fo ge ham deta for ASL As Whit eaingceserchers we have faced sme problens sm elfectvly penetratog Southern Hack deat ommuniies. There es lage amount of understandable direst which hus hampered 9 veal indepth study of the communis, Als a eine before itis dfleul 9 vecord Blac sgn esta the signers switch owand White Engl eqns wih us We hae's Besutfol example oa vdevtape of to suppoedy “Towel (the best trandatin of which i nox English) Bhek deaf sgners. Bath halal hypercorecet ther Pg Sign Engh (Woodard 19730, Woodward & Markowics 1975) signing MY BE NAME DE. and laboriously prosteding to spell heir nares. enmeditely ut off ‘he camera ard signed no owe 'stnght Engl igs bt js o converse [As son af [got the eaters on, they unc intone of the mow aerated 2Oeninae soryeling sees {have wen, The pblem, however. is how rch of thei signs were ely the way ey would nomaly converse song therselves® All ofthe other people i the roum were White an theve mas 1 White deat counsor trig them REFERENCES ACEVES, 18.1974, Kdentis, Sura. and Chane: Exploring oealCulurat “Anthropology, Morruontown "Geral Leming Pes AILEY, C1973, Varion ne Language Theory, Washington,DC, Center for Apled Linguists, ABARTH, F(e.), 1969, Ethnic Group nd Bounlare, Os, Norway. Johansen and Neuen Boktykert FAY, EAw 1898, Mamages of the Deaf i America, Wingion, D.C, Volta urea, Quoted a Ln 1940, FURTH,H. 1966, Phinking Without Lange, New York. 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