Sign Languages: Structures and Contexts

Routledge Guides to Linguistics

by Joseph C. Hill, Diane C. Lillo-Martin, Sandra K. Wood

Sign Languages: Structures and Contexts provides a succinct summary of major findings in the linguistic study of natural sign languages. Focusing on American Sign Language (ASL), this book:

- offers a comprehensive introduction to the basic grammatical components of phonology, morphology, and syntax with examples and illustrations;
- demonstrates how sign languages are acquired by Deaf children with varying degrees of input during early development, including no input where children create a language of their own;
- discusses the contexts of sign languages, including how different varieties are formed and used, attitudes towards sign languages, and how language planning affects language use;
- is accompanied by e-resources, which host links to video clips.

Offering an engaging and accessible introduction to sign languages, this book is essential reading for students studying this topic for the first time with little or no background in linguistics.

Genres: Linguistics

228 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 12, 2018

Reviews

[Dawn]

A very concise introduction to sign language linguistics. I have not studied linguistics before and was quite surprised at how involved the research is. My mind is stuffed full of terms and fascinating research of acquiring languages.