In chapter 14, Fox mentions the question of how signed language is represented in the mind. This brings up a past question of mine that we have yet to discuss, and is of much interest to me. But first, it is mentioned on pages 219 and 220 the ways in which memory is encoded in the brain (long-term and short-term). Based on experiments, Klima and Bellugi state that for hearing people, short-term memory for words has a phonological basis, whereas “deaf signers of ASL used visual parameters of handshape, location, and movement” (p.224). With short-term memory being different for signers and hearing people, my first question is then; is long-term memory for words the same for both hearing people and deaf signers? Organized semantically? Not much was discussed about this pertaining to signers.
Next, this is where I want to bring up the big question I have had. This chapter discusses structure. Therefore, do deaf signers with brain damage have sign language deficits? And if so, do the deficits resemble either Wernike’s aphasia or Broca’s aphasia, or both? Is there a more common area of damage where deficits are seen? Another question I have pertains to the area of damage, right versus left hemisphere damage. Would right hemisphere damage disrupt signing motions and interfere with the structure of the language; maybe producing more “slips of the hand”, or spoonerisms, or generate no specific pattern at all?