Klima, Edward S., 1931-2008

Edward S. Klima (June 21, 1931 – September 25, 2008) was an American linguist who specialized in the study of sign languages. Klima's work was heavily influenced by Noam Chomsky's then-revolutionary theory of the biological basis of linguistics, and applied that analysis to sign languages. Klima, much of whose work was in collaboration with his wife, Ursula Bellugi, was among the first to prove that sign languages are complete languages and have complex grammars that have all the features of grammars of oral languages. Widespread recognition of this fact was one of the catalysts of the cultural changes in and towards the Deaf community in favor of encouraging the use of sign language, which had often been discouraged in favor of lip reading in the past.