36: Villages, gifs, and children: Signed languages in real world contexts with linguist Lynn Hou
Channel: Ling Thusiasm
Date: 2019-09-20

Larger, national signed languages, like American Sign Language and British Sign Language, often have relatively well-established laboratory-based research traditions, whereas smaller signed languages, such as those found in villages with a high proportion of deaf residents, aren’t studied as much. When we look at signed languages in the context of these smaller communities, we can also think more about how to make research on larger sign languages more natural as well. 

In this episode, your host Gretchen McCulloch interviews Dr Lynn Hou, an Assistant Professor of linguistics at the University of California Santa Barbara, in our first bilingual episode (ASL and English). Lina researches how signed languages are used in real-world environments, which takes her from analyzing American Sign Language in youtube videos to documenting how children learn San Juan Quiahije Chatino Sign Language (in collaboration with Hilaria Cruz, one of our previous interviewees!). 

We’re very excited to bring you our first bilingual episode in ASL and English! For the full experience, make sure to watch the video version of this episode at youtube.com/lingthusiasm (and check out our previous video episode on gesture in spoken language while you’re there). 

This month’s bonus episode on Patreon is a behind the scenes look at the writing process of Gretchen’s recent book, Because Internet! Find out how Gretchen decided what to cover, what she had to leave out, how the book writing process differs from the academic article she and Lauren recently wrote together about emoji and gesture, and more. Plus, get access to over 30 bonus episodes of Lingthusiasm (that’s almost twice as much show!). patreon.com/lingthusiasm

For links to the things mentioned in this episode: https://lingthusiasm.com/post/187829933341/lingthusiasm-episode-36-villages-gifs-and