In what language do deaf individuals think?
To provide a clear answer to the question of what language deaf individuals think in, factors such as the timing of language acquisition, the type of hearing loss, and brain development during critical periods are taken into account. Research shows that the language of thought cannot be reduced to a single form.
12punto
Scientific studies demonstrate that the cognitive processes of individuals who are born deaf and do not have access to either sign language or spoken language at an early age are not based on linguistic structures.
It is noted that the mental representations of these individuals are built upon object images, depictions of bodily movements, emotional states, and conceptual associations that are not dependent on sound.
It is stated that if the critical period between the ages of 0–6, during which language acquisition does not occur, is missed, the language regions of the brain do not develop to their full capacity, and thought is processed more in the form of a visual-spatial flow.
FOR THOSE WHO ACQUIRE SIGN LANGUAGE EARLY, THE INTERNAL THINKING PROCESS IS BASED ON SIGN LANGUAGE
Findings support that in individuals who grow up using Turkish Sign Language (TİD), American Sign Language (ASL), or another sign language at an early age, the thinking process continues in the learned sign language.
It is recorded that sign language is processed by the brain as a complete language, and its grammar, syntax, and vocabulary are transformed into the structure of an internal monologue.
For this reason, it is stated that the "inner speech" process seen in hearing individuals occurs in the form of "mental signing" in deaf individuals.
IN INDIVIDUALS WHO LOSE THEIR HEARING LATER IN LIFE, THE SPOKEN LANGUAGE PERSISTS IN THE MIND
Scientific sources report that in people who experience hearing loss later in life, the cognitive process remains tied to their previous spoken language.
It is stated that the mental language—whether it be Turkish, Kurdish, English, or whatever the person's native language may be—continues as inner speech even after hearing loss, and this situation does not create a disruption in the structure of thought.
IN CASES WHERE TWO LANGUAGES ARE ACQUIRED, A HYBRID COGNITIVE STRUCTURE IS FORMED
It is stated that individuals who acquire both sign language and spoken language are considered cognitively bilingual.
It is reported that in these individuals, the language of thought emerges in a more flexible structure that can consist of sign language, spoken language, or a mixture of both.
It is noted that this situation bears similarities to the mental language switching seen in individuals who fluently use two spoken languages.
THE LANGUAGE OF THOUGHT IS SHAPED MORE BY THE TIMING OF LANGUAGE ACQUISITION THAN BY HEARING LOSS
It is stated that there is no single answer to the assessments regarding what language deaf individuals think in, and that the language upon which thought is based changes according to the language acquisition process.