A Timely Reminder for Closer Collaboration

Abstract

Reviews the book, Deaf Around the World: The Impact of Language edited by G. Mathur and D. J. Napoli (2011). This book is a timely reminder for those suggesting the continuity of detachment between activists and linguists for ethical and theoretical reasons. The editors themselves called for a closer collaboration between these activists and linguists (pages 3–5) to ensure the protection of signed languages and Deaf communities. This collaboration is not only necessary but also very important. This book owes its origins to a conference that was held in 2008. Though it is a product of closer collaboration between linguists and activists, it is clear that linguistics predominates the book. In fairness, it reflects the occupational nature of the editors (both are linguists), as are most the authors. Nevertheless, the book sends a strong message, beside the call for a closer collaboration between linguists and activists, that issues facing Deaf communities and their signed languages are not only local but also clearly can be regional and global simultaneously. Thus, this book is a useful and readable material for linguistics and Deaf studies disciplines. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)