William Stokoko Research Paper
William C. Stokoe was born July 21, 1919, in Lancaster, New Hampshire. He had a brother two years younger whose name was Jim. He went to Wells College in 1937 to study physical chemistry. Stokoe then realized that it was too expensive and required massive amounts of time, so he changed his mind. Instead, he attended Cornell University for his undergraduate degree where he received the Boldt Scholarship that helped pay for his tuition. Things were going smoothly, but in 1940 he had a mental break down and was diagnosed as manic-depressive. He took a year off and then returned to college and met a lady named Ruth Palmeter. They eventually got married in November, 1942. Stokoe and his wife helped on the family farm but he eventually went back to graduate school in Cornell University. Stokoe and his wife had a daughter named Helen Marie Stokoe and a son named James Stafford Stokoe. William Stokoe graduated in 1955 from Cornell with a Bachelor's degree and a Doctorate in English. Soon an old college friend, Dean George Detmold, offered him an English professorship at Gallaudet University. After almost 30 years of teaching, he retired in 1984 from Gallaudet University. In May 1988, he was given an honorary degree from Gallaudet University for
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his highly successful linguistic research. William Stokoe eventually died from bone cancer on April 4, 2000, in Chevy Chase, Maryland.
Stokoe began his teaching career at Gallaudet University in late August, 1955. He was hired to teach Chaucer in Middle English to deaf students. During his class, he was only supposed to speak, use occasional gestures, and encourage the deaf to read his lips. Stokoe intently watched the students in class and eventually became fascinated with their signing. He soon became convinced that there was a much deeper meaning behind these gestures.
Prior to William Stokoe’s research, people did not recognize sign language as an actual language. Older teachers with whom Stokoe had worked stated that the deaf did not have a language; therefore, they could not learn as well as a hearing student. The college nurse was one of the few people who actually encouraged him instead of trying to quell his fascination and dedication to the deaf students. She said that he would enjoy teaching the deaf because they would try so hard to please him. The educational system for the deaf was miserably lacking as well. Instead of trying to communicate with deaf students by using sign, the teachers were instructed to just talk and gesture while students tried to read their lips. Sign language was a very effective way for the deaf and hard-of-hearing to communicate, yet education did not recognize its value for the affected students. Many people viewed sign language as a poor substitute for speech, but Stokoe came along and proved that there was so much more thereby paving the way for new and broad students in linguistic research. With Stokoe’s new found suspicions that sign language was a genuine language, he began to intensify his research. William Stokoe received donations from the National Science Foundation to fund and initiate the linguistic research. He also received a grant from the American Council of Learned Societies. Stokoe recorded deaf people signing. With the help of his two deaf assistants, Carl Croneberg and Dorothy Casterline who also worked at Gallaudet University, they spent a tremendous amount of time studying these people signing and eventually noticed patterns. He decided that sign language is both a native and a natural language. They eventually concluded that American Sign Language was a true language with an immense amount of both abstract and concrete expression. He found that that the signing system involved a total of fifty-five cheremes. A chereme can be defined as the building block of sign language. He soon understood that deaf individuals were naturally bilingual. He observed that they created their own language individually as well as a more commonly used language. He encouraged them to use both. Stokoe also proved that these languages had well regulated syntaxes and complex grammar. No one prior to William Stokoe had proven that sign language was real language.
Another one of Stokoe's major accomplishments was the creation of Stokoe Notation, which is symbols that can be singular or combined and are used to represent what you are trying to describe. He came up with this notation because he needed it in order to observe and understand sign language better. The notation system provided Stokoe with a means to study sign language on paper, instead of watching people sign all of the time. Stokoe’s notation had three different parts. The first part is called “tabulation” which means location. The second part is “designation” which means handshape. Finally, “signation” which means movement. As time went by his system was modified and improved upon, but he remains the initiator of linguistic research.
In 1965, William Stokoe published “A Dictionary of American Sign Language.” Stokoe did not create this dictionary alone; he had the help of the same two assistants who started the research with him when he first tested his theory in its infancy. His dictionary helped educators understand that sign language is actually a language that can be taught, learned, and used as an effective means of communication. In addition to the dictionary, he also was the author of another book entitled “Sign Language Structure: An Outline of the Visual Communication Systems of the American Deaf.” This book explained why and how sign language is a true language by showing that it has its own grammar, syntax, and semantics. Money made from these books fund William C. Stokoe Scholarship Fund to insure that the research of sign language can continue. Stokoe had also attended the convention of the Modern Language Association in Chicago. While there, he helped edit John E. Wells’ book entitled “A Manual of Writings in Middle English.” In 1980, Stokoe was honored with the presentation of a festschrift from the National Association of the Deaf. William Stokoe’s ground breaking books were instrumental in attracting the interest of others and it helped people accept and understand sign language.
Many people had negative responses to all of Stokoe’s findings. Oralists’ argued that sign language was far from a language, that it was just an inferior version of English. Even some of his own colleagues and other deaf people denied his research even though he had solid evidence to back it up. Due to his research, he had troubled relationships with most of his colleagues. Stokoe tried to ease tensions by explaining his theory, but he would only make it worse. Part of the reason people denied his research was because he had no experience with the deaf or their language. The only experience he had with a deaf person was when he was a little boy. There was a man who was a blacksmith that was deaf. Stokoe was just a little farm boy at the time and they communicated by passing notes. Although most people rejected Stokoe’s research, scientists welcomed the evidence since the language was so new and had yet to be studied. After his research, educators discovered that children who start signing at a young age can have the full learning experience. Even today, some people believe we can make more improvements to sign language in order to make it a more beneficial, effective, and efficient form of communication.
William Stokoe’s strongest quality was stubbornness.
Some people might view that as a bad thing, but in his case it helped him accomplish all of the things he did. Even when he was younger, he was known as “Stubborn Stokoe” because he always argued with his teachers. His stubbornness remained with him to his adult years and that helped him to be successful. There were so many people who were against his studies and thought he was crazy for trying to prove that American Sign Language was a actual language. Although all of this negativity was thrown his way, he was persistent and pushed through it all. Due to these qualities, he was recognized both nationally and internationally as the father of the linguistic study of sign
language. William Stokoe proved to be a key asset for the deaf to be able to easily communicate. His books “Sign Language Structure: An Outline of the Visual Communication Systems of the American Deaf ” and “Dictionary of American Sign Language” helped people understand the potential that sign language had. Although people had little faith in him, he persisted and accomplished great things. Stokoe’s situation shows how quick people are to treat others differently because they do not see eye to eye. There are many other people who experience similar problems because there is something that makes them different from the rest.
his highly successful linguistic research. William Stokoe eventually died from bone cancer on April 4, 2000, in Chevy Chase, Maryland.
Stokoe began his teaching career at Gallaudet University in late August, 1955. He was hired to teach Chaucer in Middle English to deaf students. During his class, he was only supposed to speak, use occasional gestures, and encourage the deaf to read his lips. Stokoe intently watched the students in class and eventually became fascinated with their signing. He soon became convinced that there was a much deeper meaning behind these gestures.
Prior to William Stokoe’s research, people did not recognize sign language as an actual language. Older teachers with whom Stokoe had worked stated that the deaf did not have a language; therefore, they could not learn as well as a hearing student. The college nurse was one of the few people who actually encouraged him instead of trying to quell his fascination and dedication to the deaf students. She said that he would enjoy teaching the deaf because they would try so hard to please him. The educational system for the deaf was miserably lacking as well. Instead of trying to communicate with deaf students by using sign, the teachers were instructed to just talk and gesture while students tried to read their lips. Sign language was a very effective way for the deaf and hard-of-hearing to communicate, yet education did not recognize its value for the affected students. Many people viewed sign language as a poor substitute for speech, but Stokoe came along and proved that there was so much more thereby paving the way for new and broad students in linguistic research. With Stokoe’s new found suspicions that sign language was a genuine language, he began to intensify his research. William Stokoe received donations from the National Science Foundation to fund and initiate the linguistic research. He also received a grant from the American Council of Learned Societies. Stokoe recorded deaf people signing. With the help of his two deaf assistants, Carl Croneberg and Dorothy Casterline who also worked at Gallaudet University, they spent a tremendous amount of time studying these people signing and eventually noticed patterns. He decided that sign language is both a native and a natural language. They eventually concluded that American Sign Language was a true language with an immense amount of both abstract and concrete expression. He found that that the signing system involved a total of fifty-five cheremes. A chereme can be defined as the building block of sign language. He soon understood that deaf individuals were naturally bilingual. He observed that they created their own language individually as well as a more commonly used language. He encouraged them to use both. Stokoe also proved that these languages had well regulated syntaxes and complex grammar. No one prior to William Stokoe had proven that sign language was real language.
Another one of Stokoe's major accomplishments was the creation of Stokoe Notation, which is symbols that can be singular or combined and are used to represent what you are trying to describe. He came up with this notation because he needed it in order to observe and understand sign language better. The notation system provided Stokoe with a means to study sign language on paper, instead of watching people sign all of the time. Stokoe’s notation had three different parts. The first part is called “tabulation” which means location. The second part is “designation” which means handshape. Finally, “signation” which means movement. As time went by his system was modified and improved upon, but he remains the initiator of linguistic research.
In 1965, William Stokoe published “A Dictionary of American Sign Language.” Stokoe did not create this dictionary alone; he had the help of the same two assistants who started the research with him when he first tested his theory in its infancy. His dictionary helped educators understand that sign language is actually a language that can be taught, learned, and used as an effective means of communication. In addition to the dictionary, he also was the author of another book entitled “Sign Language Structure: An Outline of the Visual Communication Systems of the American Deaf.” This book explained why and how sign language is a true language by showing that it has its own grammar, syntax, and semantics. Money made from these books fund William C. Stokoe Scholarship Fund to insure that the research of sign language can continue. Stokoe had also attended the convention of the Modern Language Association in Chicago. While there, he helped edit John E. Wells’ book entitled “A Manual of Writings in Middle English.” In 1980, Stokoe was honored with the presentation of a festschrift from the National Association of the Deaf. William Stokoe’s ground breaking books were instrumental in attracting the interest of others and it helped people accept and understand sign language.
Many people had negative responses to all of Stokoe’s findings. Oralists’ argued that sign language was far from a language, that it was just an inferior version of English. Even some of his own colleagues and other deaf people denied his research even though he had solid evidence to back it up. Due to his research, he had troubled relationships with most of his colleagues. Stokoe tried to ease tensions by explaining his theory, but he would only make it worse. Part of the reason people denied his research was because he had no experience with the deaf or their language. The only experience he had with a deaf person was when he was a little boy. There was a man who was a blacksmith that was deaf. Stokoe was just a little farm boy at the time and they communicated by passing notes. Although most people rejected Stokoe’s research, scientists welcomed the evidence since the language was so new and had yet to be studied. After his research, educators discovered that children who start signing at a young age can have the full learning experience. Even today, some people believe we can make more improvements to sign language in order to make it a more beneficial, effective, and efficient form of communication.
William Stokoe’s strongest quality was stubbornness.
Some people might view that as a bad thing, but in his case it helped him accomplish all of the things he did. Even when he was younger, he was known as “Stubborn Stokoe” because he always argued with his teachers. His stubbornness remained with him to his adult years and that helped him to be successful. There were so many people who were against his studies and thought he was crazy for trying to prove that American Sign Language was a actual language. Although all of this negativity was thrown his way, he was persistent and pushed through it all. Due to these qualities, he was recognized both nationally and internationally as the father of the linguistic study of sign
language. William Stokoe proved to be a key asset for the deaf to be able to easily communicate. His books “Sign Language Structure: An Outline of the Visual Communication Systems of the American Deaf ” and “Dictionary of American Sign Language” helped people understand the potential that sign language had. Although people had little faith in him, he persisted and accomplished great things. Stokoe’s situation shows how quick people are to treat others differently because they do not see eye to eye. There are many other people who experience similar problems because there is something that makes them different from the rest.