@article{aup:/content/journals/10.5117/TET2016.2.HERR, author = "Van Herreweghe, Mieke and Vandemeulebroucke, Eva", title = "Vlaamse gebarentaligen en standaard Vlaamse Gebarentaal", journal= "Taal en Tongval", year = "2016", volume = "68", number = "2", pages = "201-236", doi = "https://doi.org/10.5117/TET2016.2.HERR", url = "https://www.aup-online.com/content/journals/10.5117/TET2016.2.HERR", publisher = "Amsterdam University Press", issn = "2215-1214", type = "Journal Article", keywords = "language varieties", keywords = "attitudes signers", keywords = "Vlaamse Gebarentaal", keywords = "sign language", keywords = "sociolinguistic studies", keywords = "VGT", keywords = "Flemish Sign Language standardization", abstract = "Abstract Flemish Signers and Standard Flemish Sign Language: embraced or dismissed? This paper focuses on the reported attitudes of Flemish Sign Language (or VGT) signers with respect to Standard(ised) VGT and (varieties of) VGT in the media. Information extracted from interviews with and stimulus fragments shown to ten deaf VGT signers shows that they no longer consider standardization of VGT negatively. However, they do not value standard versus non-standard varieties in terms of status versus solidarity traits (Giles & Coupland, 1991), but rather in terms of intelligibility versus identity. With respect to VGT on national television the quality of signing is considered more important than the variety used. Nevertheless, they do realize that the use of VGT in the media can have a significant impact on normativity and standardization of the language.", }