Fikremariam Tesfaye
22 June 2008
Addis Ababa — The Ethiopian National Association of the Deaf (ENDA) on Friday inaugurated a new dictionary of sign language for use by people born with or affected by the physical impairment in the country.
ENDA president Tesfaye Gedlu said the main objective of the Dictionary was to help preserve the language of the deaf in Ethiopia and to be used as a reference and teaching materials in the schools for the deaf.
The publishers also intend to secure a constitutional recognition as one of the Ethiopian languages and a status for the new dictionary so it can be used as instructional and research material in schools, colleges and universities in the country.
The new dictionary which consists of 1321 signs was launched in a ceremony at Sidist Killo Assembly Hall in the presence of Hassen Abdela, Minister of Works and Social Affairs, members of the association and invited guests.
The signs are composed, primarily, of new indigenous signs but foreign signs have also been assimilated to help make communication better, according to ENDA, the publishers.
Some signs from the old "Ha" book are also incorporated.
What's more, the new dictionary has equivalent meanings for the signs in Amharic and English.
The new dictionary is unique in the sense that, apart from text, it includes photographs rather than drawings, according to explanations made during the launch.
Sign language is based on the culture of the particular deaf community of each country. In the past, the signs used by the deaf in Ethiopia were mostly foreign making it difficult to prepare a unique Ethiopian sign language dictionary for a long period of time, the publishers said.
The President said ENDA has been pursuing this goal for a longer time particularly after a resolution passed by the World Federation of the Deaf's (WFD) 10th General Assembly that encouraged countries to produce their own national sign languages.
He said however that the publication of the new dictionary would not be enough for the development of the language unless it has got a legal and constitutional recognition as one of the Ethiopian languages to be used as a language of instruction and communication and be used as an aid for further research.
He used the occasion to call on the concerned bodies of the government to give due attention in that regard.
The price of the dictionary which has 464 pages has not yet been decided.
The association and schools for the deaf in the country took part in the preparation of the dictionary and have collected more than 3000 signs.
The main causes of deafness may be categorized as man made and natural factors. Based on various studies conducted throughout the world the deaf grouped as the born deaf and the late deaf after acquiring speech.
The Ethiopian National Association of the Deaf (ENDA) was founded in 1973. Currently is an ordinary member of the World Federation of Deaf (WFD) and has established 14 regional branch associations throughout the country.
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