Language in Hand: Why Sign Came Before Speech
Language: English
Published by Gallaudet Univ Pr, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A., 2001
- Hardcover
- New

Condition: New
US$ 1,976.00
Quantity: 1 available
Add to basketItem description from seller
014446; SIGN LANGUAGE AMERICAN ARTS DISCIPLINES.
Seller Inventory # 14446
- Title
- Language in Hand: Why Sign Came Before Speech
- Author
- Stokoe, William C.
- Publisher
- Gallaudet Univ Pr, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.
- Publication year
- 2001
- Condition
- New
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Language
- English
- ISBN 10
- 156368103X
- ISBN 13
- 9781563681035
- Seller catalogs
- All
In Language in Hand: Why Sign Came Before Speech, William C. Stokoe begins his exploration of the origin of human language with a 2400-year-old quote by Democritus: “Everything existing in the universe is the fruit of chance and necessity.” Stokoe capitalizes upon this simple credo in this far-ranging examination of the scholarly topography to support his formula for the development of language in humans: gesture-to-language-to-speech. Intrinsic to this is the proposition that speech is sufficient for language, but not necessary. Chance brought human ancestors down from the trees to the ground, freeing their hands for gesture, and then sign language, a progression that came from the necessity to communicate.
Stokoe recounts in Language in Hand how inspiration grew out of his original discovery in the 1950s and ’60s that deaf people who signed were using a true language with constructions that did not derive from spoken English. This erudite, highly engaging investigation calls upon decades of personal experience and published research to refute the recently entrenched principles that humans have a special, innate learning faculty for language and that speech equates with language. Integrating current findings in linguistics, semiotics, and anthropology, Stokoe fashions a closely-reasoned argument that suggests how our human ancestors’ powers of observation and natural hand movements could have evolved into signed morphemes.
Stokoe also proposes how the primarily gestural expression of language with vocal support shifted to primarily vocal language with gestural accompaniment. When describing this transition, however, he never loses sight of the significance of humans in the natural world and the role of environmental stimuli in the development of language. Stokoe illustrates this contention with fascinating observations of small, contemporary ethnic groups such as the Assiniboin Nakotas, a Native American group from Montana that intermingle their spoken and signed languages depending upon cultural imperatives.
Language in Hand also presents innovative thoughts on classifiers in American Sign Language and their similarity to certain spoken languages, convincing evidence that speech originally copied sign language forms before developing unrelated conventions through usage. Stokoe concludes with a hypothesis on how the acceptance of sign language as the first language of humans could revolutionize the education of infants, both deaf and hearing, who, like early humans, have the full capacity for language without speech.
"Synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
About the Author
"About the title" may belong to another edition of this title.
Shipping rates within U.S.A.
| Item | 5 to 14 business days | 3 to 6 business days |
|---|---|---|
| First item | US$ 3.00 | US$ 5.50 |
Payment methods
Store description
Expect Exemplary Service With Our “Customer-First Philosophy” OUR STAFF IS CONTINUOUSLY GLOVED & MASKED WHEN PACKING YOUR BOOK ORDER. *** ALL OF OUR BOOKS ARE IN STOCK & AVAILABLE FOR IMMEDIATE SHIPMENT. *** SPECIALTY: ART BOOKS *** We offer one of the world’s largest selections of rare and in stock art and design books including artists and subjects from all periods and all regions comprising all related fields: Art, Architecture, Photography, Monographs, Limited Editions, Catalogues Raisonnés, art history survey texts and scarce auction and exhibition catalogues from galleries and museums and publishers worldwide. *** BOOKS FROM ALL FIELDS: We offer a broad range of publications including scholarly reference works and textbooks in all areas of medicine (including the history of medicine) ranging from psychiatry, genetics, neurology, dermatology, OBG, surgery, psychology; as well as publications in all areas of the sciences and humanities and the arts, such as: philosophy, history, economics, politics, physics, chemistry, computers, biology and medicine, along with music, literature, and painting. *** COLLECTIONS IN ALL AREAS OF THE ARTS: We welcome inquiries about our vast collections under Amazon headings including: paintings, watercolors,drawings, etchings, lithographs, autographs, letters, rare documents and artist albums. *** INQUIRIES WELCOME SHIPPING UPGRADE: DOMESTIC USA FREE COURIER SERVICE: FedEx / Courier Free Upgrade for customers in the US where applicable.*** EUROZONE & OTHER CUSTOMERS OUTSIDE THE US: Free or Discounted FedEx or USPS Priority Shipping Upgrade available for shipments to customers outside the US. Please inquire for details on this offer. Customer responible for all VAT…
Specialty
BOOKS FROM ALL FIELDS: We offer a broad range of publications including scholarly reference worksSeller's business information
Bernard W. Schlesinger Foundation, Incorporated
278 Route 52
Liberty, NY U.S.A. 12754
Terms of sale
Expect Exemplary Service With Our “Customer-First Philosophy”
ALL OF OUR BOOKS ARE IN STOCK & AVAILABLE FOR IMMEDIATE SHIPMENT. ***
SPECIALTY: ART BOOKS *** We offer one of the world’s largest selections of rare and in stock art and design books including artists and subjects from all periods and all regions comprising all related fields: Art, Architecture, Photography, Monographs, Limited Editions, Catalogues Raisonnés, art history survey texts and scarce auction and exhibition catalogues from galleries and museums and publishers worldwide. ***
With our exemplary service and “Customer First” Philosophy, we guarantee careful and personalized attention to every detail: from order fulfillment to extremely careful and protective packaging; we offer an upgrade to courier shipping and insurance with signed-for delivery (see details below). Our search capabilities are unrivaled permitting us to make the claim that we can provide virtually any publications our customers require.
BOOKS FROM ALL FIELDS: We offer a broad range of publications including scholarly reference works and textbooks in all areas of medicine (including the history of medicine) ranging from psychiatry, genetics, neurology, dermatology, OBG, surgery, psychology; as well as publications in all areas of the sciences and humanities and the arts, such as: philosophy, history, economics, politics, physics, chemistry, computers, biology and medicine, along with music, literature, and painting. ***
INQUIRIES WELCOME: We welcome inquiries: Simply send us an email message with your contact number (include hours of availability) and we will freely provide our expertise and exemplary service to assist you in every way possible with your Abebooks purchasing decision. Please request information about our unique “Customer-First” Philosophy ***
SHIPPING UPGRADE:
DOMESTIC USA FREE COURIER SERVICE: FedEx / Courier Free Upgrade for customers in the US where applicable.***
EUROZONE & OTHER CUSTOMERS OUTSIDE THE US: Free or Discounted FedEx or USPS Priority Shipping Upgrade available for shipments to customers outside the US. Please inquire for details on this offer. Customer responsible for all VAT.
Shipping terms
SHIPPING UPGRADE:
DOMESTIC USA FREE COURIER SERVICE: FedEx / Courier Free Upgrade for customers in the US where applicable.***
EUROZONE & OTHER CUSTOMERS OUTSIDE THE US: Free or Discounted FedEx or USPS Priority Shipping Upgrade available for shipments to customers outside the US. Please inquire for details on this offer. Customer responible for all VAT.
With our exemplary service and “Customer First” Philosophy, we guarantee careful and personalized attention to every detail: from order fulfillment to extremely careful and protective packaging; we offer an upgrade to courier shipping and insurance with signed-for delivery (see details below). Our search capabilities are unrivaled permitting us to make the claim that we can provide virtually any publications our customers require.