ABSTRACT
This chapter presents the description in some detail of sign language and the culture of the deaf, a subject that has rarely been dealt with in anthropology. Sign Language is of great interest to the author, because it not only represents a new dimension in man's linguistic capabilities but also serves as a very useful tool to measure the similarities and differences of certain aspects of linguistic ability between man and ape. As early as 1951, linguists were already in the process of divorcing linguistics from anthropology, albeit with mixed feelings, as may be seen in an interesting statement by Voegelin himself. Erroneous views about sign language have come not so much from laymen but from professional linguists who stated these views in the name of science. The most serious error may stem from ignorance about sign language and conceit about oral language.
