Pierre Desloges

Pierre Desloges was a pioneering French author known for his significant contributions to the understanding and advocacy of sign language. Born in the Touraine region of France, he lost his hearing at the age of seven due to smallpox. Despite this early setback, Desloges moved to Paris as a young man, where he worked as a bookbinder and upholsterer. It was not until he was 27 that he learned sign language from a deaf Italian, which profoundly influenced his life and work. In 1779, he published what is considered one of the first books by a deaf author, advocating for the use of sign language in education for the deaf. His work served as a rebuttal to Abbé Claude-François Deschamps de Champloiseau, who had criticized the use of signs in education, and Desloges passionately defended the validity and richness of sign language as a means of communication among the deaf community. Desloges' book not only highlighted the importance of sign language but also documented the existence of a deaf community that utilized what is now known as Old French Sign Language. His arguments challenged the prevailing notion that sign language was a lesser form of communication and asserted that it was a legitimate language in its own right. While Abbé de l’Épée is often credited with the establishment of sign language education, Desloges' work provides crucial evidence that French Sign Language was developed by the deaf community long before the establishment of formal institutions. Through his advocacy, Desloges laid the groundwork for future discussions on deaf education and the recognition of sign language as a vital aspect of deaf culture and identity.