This course is an introduction to sign language linguistics. It gives an overview of how sign language is similar to spoken language and how it is different, highlighting how sign language studies inform our understanding of human language ability. Topics covered may include: sign language phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics; sign and gesture; sociolinguistic variation in sign language; neural representation and psycholinguistic aspects of sign language; acquisition and emergence of sign languages; bilingualism in sign language; sign language literature; sign language and Deaf education; sign language and Deaf rights.
