Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, students will be able to identify and explain the current issues in linguistics relating to the consideration of signed languages and gestuality, either on the basis of scientific texts or concrete examples of linguistic practices.

Goals

At the end of the course, students will be able to:
 
  1. - Describe and explain the evolution of linguistics in relation to the consideration of signed languages and the use of gesture.
  2. - Cite the major trends and authors that have marked out this evolution in linguistics.
  3. - Explain and illustrate the central concepts that have played a role in this development (e.g. arbitrariness, iconicity, gesture, semiotics, multimodality).
  4. - Situate a theoretical statement in relation to this development and these central concepts.
  5. - Comment on (part of) a scientific paper in relation to this development and these central concepts.
  6. - Explain and illustrate the current issues in linguistics from the perspective of the inclusion of signed languages and gestuality.
  7. - Analyse concrete cases of language practice in relation to these issues.
 

Content

The course will be organised around three main lines:
 
1. The linguistic study of signed languages
2. The treatment of gestuality and its links with language
3. The comparative study of signed and spoken languages

Assessment method

Assessment takes the form of a 2-hour written examination. For the first session (June) this may be replaced by an oral presentation (in class) of a case study on a topic chosen by the student and approved by the teacher. These arrangements will be made during the course. 
 
The written examination will be in two parts
 
The first part (10 marks) will take the form of an open-ended question on transversal aspects of the course, i.e. covering at least 2 of the 3 central strands of the course.
The second part (10 marks) will take the form of questions on more specific aspects (e.g. definition of a concept, identification of a phenomenon) and/or analysis of specific cases.
 
Criteria for the written test
- Correctness and thoroughness of the explanations given
- Accuracy of the concepts and terminology used
- Relevance of the links established between the different aspects of the course
- Quality of expression and organisation of the answer

Sources, references and any support material

Not exhaustive list of texts used as support

Gabarró-López, S. & Meurant, L. 2022. Contrasting signed and spoken languages: Towards a renewed perspective on language. Languages in Contrast, 22(2), 169-194.

Vigliocco G., Perniss P. & Vinson D. 2014. Language as a multimodal phenomenon: implications for language learning, processing and evolution. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B 369: 20130292. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2013.0292

Kendon, A. 2014. Semiotic diversity in utterance production and the concept of ‘language’. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B 369: 20130293. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2013.0293.

Vermeerbergen, M. 2006. Past and current trends in sign language research. Language & Communication, 26(2), 168-192.

Perniss, P. & Vigliocco, G. 2014. The bridge of iconicity: from a world of experience to the experience of language. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B 369: 20130300. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2013.0300

Dingemanse, M., Blasi, D. E., Lupyan, G., Christiansen, M. H., & Monaghan, P. 2015. Arbitrariness, iconicity, and systematicity in language. Trends in cognitive sciences, 19(10), 603-615.

Ferrara, L., & Hodge, G. (2018). Language as description, indication, and depiction. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 716.

 

Language of instruction

Français