Exploring Gender Honorifics in Tanzanian Sign Language: Cultural and Linguistic Perspectives

Abstract

Sign Language is the primary mode of communication among members of the deaf community. Sign language is not only influenced by sex distinctions but also reflects the general concern about language and gender equality. That is, analysing sign language can unveil rich insights on how social identities are constructed and communicated within a deaf community. Sign language, as a tool for the transmission of deaf culture, bears cultural influence in both the formation of signs and their use. However, most sociolinguistic studies have been conducted on spoken languages, rather than sign languages. Studies in Tanzania, for instance, have focused on power and participation, as well as gender-responsive language use among students and teachers, leaving sign language discourse largely unexplored. It is against this backdrop that this study examines the influence of cultural-linguistic attributes on the formation of signs in Tanzanian Sign Language (TSL). The study focuses on the extent to which honorifics are represented in these signs. The study analysed the sign language lexicon to identify signs that denote gender, where 10 signs were identified from the Tanzanian Sign Language Dictionary to represent the male and female genders. Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis was adopted as the main analysis tool, complemented with Critical Discourse Analysis to highlight language and gender in their respective contexts of use. Thematic and ethnographic analyses were the main methods employed in the study. The analysis shows that cultural-linguistic attributes have contributed to the formation of gender-based signs. Language attributes, such as dominance and diversity, have underscored the choice and use of such gender-based signs.