Gesture and Sign Language 

Most research on language takes speech or text as the main domain of investigation. However, speakers use not only speech but also meaningful hand movements called ‘gestures' when they speak. Furthermore, deaf communities use sign languages that are produced and perceived only in the visual-spatial modality. This course aims to introduce this field and give a state of the art overview of theoretical and methodological issues concerning language in the visuo-spatial modality and the role of the body in the structuring and functioning of human communication. The course will present findings from gesture and sign language studies and relate them to more general theoretical topics like language and modality, language processing, language acquisition, situated language use, and language development onto- and phylogenetically.

Students should acquire some practical experience with data and develop a thorough understanding of visuo-spatial modes of language and their theoretical relevance.