Our research assumes that language is multimodal because communication involves the whole body, and not just the spoken and written word. A central strength of our work is the study of signed languages, the visual-gestural languages of deaf communities. We also explore how speech and gesture work together in everyday communication.
Areas of research include:
- Cross-linguistic variation in gesture use
- First and second language acquisition of signed languages
- Gesture and language development
- Gesture and language emergence
- Metaphorical gestures
- Sign language linguistics and sociolinguistics