SIGN LANGUAGE LINGUISTICS

Prerequisites & course information

Requisites: LINGUIS 101 or ANTHRO/LINGUIS 301 Course Designation: Core GenEd - Social & Behavioral Science Breadth - Humanities or Social Science Level - Intermediate L&S Credit - L&S Liberal Arts and Science Grad 50% - Counts toward 50% graduate coursework requirement Repeatable for Credit: No Last Taught: Fall 2026 Learning Outcomes: 1. Recognize false assumptions and claims about sign languages and challenge them Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 2. Discuss key concepts, terms, and debates in the study of sign languages and their linguistic structure Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 3. Compare different theoretical approaches to sign language linguistics Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 4. Discuss the ways that the study of sign languages expands and enhances our understanding of human languages Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 5. Demonstrate understanding that deafness and sign languages are valuable parts of cultural and linguistic diversity Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 6. Describe ways to increase and advocate for accessibility and inclusivity for minoritized languages and communities Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 7. Evaluate and critique different theoretical approaches to sign language linguistics Audience: Graduate 8. Compare models of sign languages and spoken languages at all levels of linguistic analysis: phonology, morphology, syntax and discourse Audience: Graduate Learning Outcomes: 1. Recognize false assumptions and claims about sign languages and challenge them Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 2. Discuss key concepts, terms, and debates in the study of sign languages and their linguistic structure Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 3. Compare different theoretical approaches to sign language linguistics Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 4. Discuss the ways that the study of sign languages expands and enhances our understanding of human languages Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 5. Demonstrate understanding that deafness and sign languages are valuable parts of cultural and linguistic diversity Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 6. Describe ways to increase and advocate for accessibility and inclusivity for minoritized languages and communities Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 7. Evaluate and critique different theoretical approaches to sign language linguistics Audience: Graduate 8. Compare models of sign languages and spoken languages at all levels of linguistic analysis: phonology, morphology, syntax and discourse Audience: Graduate