GESL current research

Abstract

Sign Language Linguistics is a relatively young area of linguistic research. However, Sign language linguistics in general has a quite long history in comparison to Georgian Sign Language (GESL) linguistics, which only counts several years. Despite its brief history, GESL research includes almost all the linguistic levels and the features of GESL. The most significant results of GESL linguistic research include: the printed and online dictionary with standardized forms of 4000 signs; comprehensive study of GESL verb morphology; general description of GESL grammar; numerous articles about specific features of GESL (namely, negative concord, different types of object markers, etc.).  The dactyl alphabet of GESL (and Georgian Lorm as well  — for local deaf-blind people) was created in a close cooperation of Georgian Deaf community. Today it needs the administrative support to be implemented in the Deaf educational process.

Since Georgia was part of the Soviet Union, with the common sign language  — Russian Sign Language (RSL), which influenced the all other sign langugaes in the Soviet conitry. I also will discuss the origin of GESL.

The existing results of GESL research are invaluable for not only sign language linguistics, but also for typological studies of sign and spoken languages. Currently, several research projects are in progress, that aim to study argument structure of GESL, nominal morphology of GESL, and etc. These projects will definitely help to gain fundamental knowledge about this interesting natural sign language.