Martha’s Vineyard Sign Language
E558072
Martha’s Vineyard Sign Language was a historically significant village sign language once used by both deaf and hearing residents of Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, and is notable for its influence on the development of American Sign Language.
Statements (47)
| Predicate | Object |
|---|---|
| instanceOf |
extinct language
ⓘ
historical language ⓘ sign language ⓘ village sign language ⓘ |
| alsoKnownAs | MVSL NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| characteristic |
acquired by many hearing children as a second language
ⓘ
used for communication across distances such as fields and boats ⓘ used in public life such as churches, stores, and town meetings ⓘ |
| communityAttitude | deafness was not strongly stigmatized ⓘ |
| continent | North America ⓘ |
| contributedTo |
concept of sign language as a natural human language
ⓘ
development of American Sign Language ⓘ understanding of language and disability in small communities ⓘ |
| country |
United States of America
ⓘ
surface form:
United States
|
| declineReason |
migration of deaf islanders to mainland residential schools
ⓘ
spread of American Sign Language ⓘ |
| developedFrom |
British sign language varieties
ⓘ
Kent Sign Language NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| documentedBy | Nora Ellen Groce NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| documentedIn | “Everyone Here Spoke Sign Language” NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| extinctionPeriod | early 20th century ⓘ |
| hadHighDeafIncidence | Chilmark NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| influenced | American Sign Language NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| influencedBy | signing traditions of settlers from Kent, England ⓘ |
| languageFamily | village sign languages of the United States ⓘ |
| lastKnownNativeSignersDied | mid-20th century ⓘ |
| legacy |
case study in language death
ⓘ
evidence for historical sources of American Sign Language ⓘ model for inclusive deaf-hearing communities ⓘ |
| notableFor |
high level of use among both deaf and hearing people
ⓘ
influence on early American deaf education ⓘ integration of deaf people into community life ⓘ |
| region | New England NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| researchField |
anthropological linguistics
ⓘ
deaf studies ⓘ sociolinguistics ⓘ |
| sociolinguisticType | shared signing community language ⓘ |
| status | extinct ⓘ |
| timeOfWidespreadUse |
18th century
ⓘ
19th century ⓘ |
| usedBy |
deaf residents of Martha’s Vineyard
ⓘ
hearing residents of Martha’s Vineyard ⓘ |
| usedIn |
Martha’s Vineyard
NERFINISHED
ⓘ
Massachusetts NERFINISHED ⓘ United States of America ⓘ
surface form:
United States
|
| usedInCommunity |
Chilmark
NERFINISHED
ⓘ
West Tisbury NERFINISHED ⓘ |
Referenced by (1)
Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.