O Silenciamento da Libras

The silencing of Libras: challenges, achievements and perspectives for the valorization of a minority language.

Abstract

This work has a qualitative, descriptive nature, and aims to understand the silencing of Libras, as well as its challenges, achievements and perspectives for the valorization of this language considered, from the perspective of linguistic policy, as a minority language³. The purpose of this article is to explore these challenges, analyze the achievements already made and discuss the perspectives for valuing the dissemination and preservation of the Brazilian Sign Language (Libras), as a vital part of a culture and language, specifically its own and used by deaf people as means of communication and expression. What justifies its achievement are the factors that highlight its social, cultural and linguistic relevance. This study aims to address the critical importance of Libras and its community in a context in which minority languages ​​often face such as: marginalization and erasure. The production and discussions of this article were supported by bibliographical research, based on Schneider (2007), Massuti (2007/2012), Silva (2015) among others. The results showed that Libras, as a minority language, represents a significant step towards a society that accepts and respects all languages, including the gesture-visual modality. The purpose of the research is that this article will awaken new paths and critical-reflective opinions, which will stimulate new research on this topic, with the aim of deepening and sensitizing education professionals, public policies and society as a whole, to consider Libras as an integrative and inseparable part of culture and the deaf community in Brazil.