Signed Language and Cognitive Grammar

"This Element presents a Cognitive Grammar (CG) approach to a range of signed language grammatical phenomena. It begins with a background on the history of sign linguistics, focusing on what was a widely held belief that signs are simply gestures. The first section traces the modern linguistic examination of signed languages, focusing on Stokoe and his demonstration that these languages exhibit phonology and duality of patterning. Next, we present some fundamental principles that are foundational for cognitive linguistics and sign linguistics. In a section on Cognitive Grammar, we present a brief overview of CG principles, constructs, and models. Section 4 presents extensive analyses of signed language constructions applying CG, including nominal grounding; the concepts of Place and placing; a CG approach to "agreement" constructions in signed languages; reported dialogue; grammatical modality; and the grammatical meaning of facial displays. The final section examines the controversial role of gesture in grammatical constructions"--

List of contents

1. Introduction; 2. Fundamental principles; 3. Elements of cognitive grammar; 4. Signed language and cognitive grammar; 5. Modality; 6. The meaning of facial displays; 7. Gesture and language; Conclusions; References.

Summary

This Element introduces a Cognitive Grammar approach to signed language grammatical phenomena. It explores the history of sign linguistics, Stokoe's phonology, the duality of patterning, and CG principles, constructs, and models, and analyzes signed language constructions in CG and the controversial role of gesture in grammatical constructions.

Foreword

This Element demonstrates how signed languages reveal the deep conceptual and visual perceptual underpinnings of human language.

Product details

• Authors: Rocío Martínez, Sara Siyavoshi, Sherman Wilcox, Sherman (University of New Mexico) Martine Wilcox, Wilcox Sherman
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press ELT
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 31.01.2025
• EAN: 9781108949934
• ISBN: 978-1-108-94993-4
• No. of pages: 108
• Series: Elements in Cognitive Linguistics
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Linguistics and literary studies > Other languages / Other literatures; LANGUAGE ARTS & DISCIPLINES / Grammar & Punctuation, LANGUAGE ARTS & DISCIPLINES / Sign Language, LANGUAGE ARTS & DISCIPLINES / Linguistics / Syntax, LANGUAGE ARTS & DISCIPLINES / Alphabets & Writing Systems, Psycholinguistics, Grammar, syntax & morphology, Grammar, syntax and morphology, Psycholinguistics and cognitive linguistics, Sign languages, Braille & other linguistic communication, Sign languages, Braille and other linguistic communication