Língua Gestual de São Tomé e Príncipe : retrato dos primeiros gestos

Abstract

This paper aims to portray the genesis of São Tomé and Príncipe Sign Language. At the request of the Government of São Tomé and Principe (Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, Cell Special Education), the Portuguese Catholic University together with the Marquês of Valle Flôr Institute and Hospital CUF Infante Santo collaborated on a common project: to implement a Sign Language for the deaf Santomean. This project, funded by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, was given the name of Without Barriers. The paper is structured in two parts: the first part, which describes, in summary, the main lines of action of the project, the participants enrolled in the project and the methodology used and the second part that analyzes the emergence of the first signs, using sometimes, comparison with other emerging languages.

Keywords

• First Signs of an emergent sign language
• São Tomé and Príncipe Sign Language
• Universal trends in emergent sign languages