Final answer:
William Stokoe's pivotal research established American Sign Language (ASL) as a linguistically complete and natural language, transforming linguistic perceptions and promoting the rights of deaf communities.
Step-by-step explanation:
William Stokoe played a significant role in the recognition of sign language as a complete and natural language. Before Stokoe's work, sign language was not considered a legitimate language by many linguists and educators; it was often dismissed as a simple system of gestures or pantomime. Stokoe's research at Gallaudet University, where he was a professor, changed these perceptions by demonstrating that American Sign Language (ASL) has its own syntax, grammar, and structure, just like spoken languages.
Stokoe's findings, published in various scholarly works, also raised awareness about the linguistic capabilities of deaf individuals and supported the idea that language could evolve from manual gestures, as noted in his most recent book, The Truth About Language. This work has had far-reaching implications, influencing both the field of linguistics and the education of deaf students, ensuring that they receive education in ASL as a recognized language.
Ultimately, William Stokoe's contributions to the study of sign language helped pave the way for broader acceptance and understanding of sign languages used around the world, promoting the rights of deaf communities to communicate in their native language and be educated in it as well.