Signs of development
Sociolinguistic variation and change in New Zealand Sign Language in times of status change and globalisation.
This 3-year project commenced in May 2021.
Led by Associate Professor Rachel McKee, the project investigates evidence of linguistic change in NZSL lexicon and genres, and examines how innovative features correlate with the social characteristics of users (such as age, ethnicity) and particular usage contexts.
Previous research has shown that NZSL is a young language that exhibits rapid sociolinguistic variation and change. Official recognition has brought NZSL use into new public and cultural domains to address wider purposes than in previous eras. New usage demands, and increasing global contact among different signed languages, motivate linguistic change such as expansion of vocabulary and innovation of genres/styles to meet non-traditional purposes.
The project includes two studies:
- Lexical growth and change (2021 -2022)
- Genre variation (2022 - current)
Funding
This project is funded by the Marsden Fund.
Reports, presentations and publications
McKee, Rachel, Mireille Vale, George Major, Sara Pivac Alexander and Miriam Meyerhoff. 2024. "Two hands are powerful". Handedness variation and genre in New Zealand Sign Language. Language & Communication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.langcom.2024.07.003
Social evaluation of variation in contemporary NZSL. LALS Seminar presented at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington, August 2024.
How does NZSL grow? Investigating new signs. NZSLTA Conference presentation video (2023)
McKee, Rachel and Mireille Vale. 2024. Recent Lexical Expansion in New Zealand Sign Language - Context, Scope and Mechanisms. Current Issues in Language Planning 25(1), pp. 67-88. https://doi.org/10.1080/14664208.2023.2231795
Vale, Mireille and Rachel McKee. 2022. Neologisms in New Zealand Sign Language: A Case Study of COVID-19 Pandemic-related Signs. In Klosa-Kückelhaus, A. and I. Kernerman (Eds.) Lexicography of Coronavirus-related Neologisms. Lexicographica. Series Maior 163. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110798081-013
Neologisms in NZSL - a case study of COVID-19 pandemic-related signs Conference paper presented online at the 3rd Globalex Workshop on Lexicography and Neology, August 2021.
Researchers
Senior Lecturer (Teaching)
School of Linguistics and Applied Language Studies
Research Fellow
School of Linguistics and Applied Language Studies · Deaf Studies Research Unit
Interested Party
Senior Research Fellow
Teaching Fellow
School of Linguistics and Applied Language Studies|School of Linguistics and Applied Language Studies|School of Linguistics and Applied Language Studies
