Subject Area: Linguistics
The fundamental structure of natural signed languages will be explored, covering the essentials of signed language phonology, morphology and syntax and the most important features of all these levels of structure will be examined. The basic properties of signed languages will be compared with those of spoken languages in order to see in which ways signed languages are similar to spoken languages and in which ways they differ. Signed languages will be examined in terms of their acquisition as first and second languages, and some sociolinguistic issues that arise for users of signed language will be investigated. Additionally, insights from signed language linguistics that provide some evidence for current claims in neurolinguistics will be explored.
