Friday 23rd Sept. 2022 – Sign Languages Unite Us!
“On this International Day of Sign Languages, we celebrate our collective efforts- deaf communities, governments, and civil society representatives- to recognize and promote the different national sign languages around the world. Together we sign onto a declaration of support for sign languages as an essential human right for deaf people, and sign for human rights!” https://vimeo.com/731115599/b5a6d2e72b
Late this afternoon, our New Zealand Government – chief executive of Whaikaha – Ministry of Disabled People: Paula Tesoriero and the Deaf Advisor Kelley doing NZSL (New Zealand Sign Language) on the Facebook page. The link can be found here – https://fb.watch/fIZxjIlyVu/
“Sign language is the equal of speech, lending itself equally to the rigorous and the poetic, to philosophical analysis or to making love.” – Oliver Sacks.
“Sign language is the noblest gift God has given to deaf people.” – George Veditz. There is a beautiful old video clip showing George Veditz. closed captioning https://youtu.be/C7ht01m8fbc
Here is a part of the International Day of Sign Languages dating back to the earliest times before Christ.
INTERNATIONAL DAY OF SIGN LANGUAGES TIMELINE
500 B.C.
First Written Records
Plato’s Cratylus has one of the oldest recorded accounts of sign language.
60 A.D.
First Use
Sign language is used for the first time; according to the first chapter of Luke’s Gospel, the angel Gabriel rendered Zacharias, John the Baptist’s father, speechless due to his disbelief.
685 A.D.
First Class
When John of Beverley, Bishop of York, teaches a deaf individual to talk in sign language, it is considered a miracle, and he was subsequently canonized.
1760
First Deaf School
Before l’Abbé Charles Michel de l’Épée founded his deaf school in Paris, his teachings were based on his observations of deaf individuals communicating with their hands on Parisian streets. Here is a link if you are interested in ordering/buying the Leppe Photos through Mary Evans Prints Online. Please visit the link below.
