Projects since 2013, broadly arranged by topic (updated May 2025)
Projects since 2013, broadly arranged by topic (updated May 2025)
ASL has at least four different manual signs that can be translated in English as 'what'. What are the functions of these signs? With Lynn Hou and Erin Wilkinson, I have been using internet videos to examine this family of signs and how they are used. We have an NSF grant (between UCSB, UNM, and Gallaudet) that supports our work on this topic.
Construction grammarians research how "chunks" of language become associated with specific meanings or discourse functions. Regardless of whether they are words, phrases, or co-speech gestures, these conventional pairings of function and form are all analyzed as constructions.
ASL is under-described. My research analyzes ASL constructions from a usage-based perspective. I am also interested in documenting the variety of morphosyntactic structures that appear in ASL discourse from a functional-typological perspective.
We very rarely make new words completely from scratch. My research examines our tendency to re-use parts of words we know in order to create or understand new constructions.
Linguistic myths and misconceptions can only be dispelled through primary research. I'm interested in the kinds of data that can address the question of how constructions work.
Signers of different languages use their two hands to show relationships between entities and the plurality inherent to certain concepts. Related signs also make systematic, motivated use of vertical signing space, across sign languages. By comparing the productions of signers and gesturers on similar tasks, we can understand how linguistic structures change with use. Conversely, sign language linguistics can also inform the kinds of questions we ask about about gesture.
Signing and gesturing populations use iconic "handling" and "instrument" forms when referring to handheld tools, and ASL signers use handling and instrument forms to distinguish verbs from nouns. Signers and gestures also use embodied iconic strategies when referring to items in other semantic categories.