Sign languages in East Africa explored at special event

The variation in three national sign languages in East Africa was the focus of a week-long event co-led by Professor Hannah Gibson from our Department of Language and Linguistics.

Held at Kyambogo University in Uganda, the event included a discussion of ongoing research on Ugandan Sign Language, Kenyan Sign Language and Tanzanian Sign Language, as well as the development for a joint collaborative research project with colleagues and communities across the region.

The research team behind the week – funded by the British Institute in Eastern Africa – included Dr Sam Lutalo-Kiingi, from Kyambogo University, and Dr Hope Morgan and Margaret Odhiambo, both from the University of Hamburg.

“These three sign languages are all under-documented,” explained Professor Gibson. “An examination of the similarities and differences between these languages, as well as research on these individual languages will add to our understanding of sign languages and linguistic variation in East Africa more broadly.”

The week included a one-day community workshop with representatives from the Uganda National Association of the Deaf and a number of other local deaf-led advocacy and community groups. The goal of the workshop was to gather views and perspectives of the participants on a number of possible research questions, as well as to better understand the priorities of community members for a research agenda.

Professor Gibson added: “The week gave us an invaluable opportunity to share thoughts and ideas, drawing on our respective expertise and thinking about ways in which we could collaborate going forward.”

The team is now developing a project looking at features in these three sign languages, to better understand how these languages have emerged and continue to be shaped.

Recently, Professor Gibson and Dr Lutalo-Kiingi were granted a British Academy Talent Development Award to support their continued collaboration, including a visit by Dr Lutalo-Kiingi to Essex and a return visit by Professor Gibson to Uganda for her to continue to learn Ugandan Sign Language. 

• Pictured from left: Professor Hannah Gibson, Dr Sam Lutalo-Kiingi, Dr Hope Morgan and Margaret Odhiambo.