Dr. James Woodward

Dr. Woodward is Co-Director of the Center for Sign Linguistics and Deaf Studies at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and Adjunct Professor in the Department of Linguistics at University of Hawaii Mānoa. He spoke on Historical/Comparative Sign Linguistics: Issues, Results, Endangerment and Preservation.

Bio: Professor James Woodward received his Ph.D. with distinction in sociolinguistics at Georgetown University in 1973, completing his dissertation on grammatical variation in American Sign Language.  From 1969-1995, he worked at Gallaudet University in various positions related to the linguistic and anthropological analyses of sign languages and Deaf cultures.  From 1992-1995, he also taught linguistics at The Chinese University of Hong Kong, where he introduced sign linguistics to the university.  From 1996 to 2000 he was director of research and local director of the World Deaf Leadership Thailand Project at Ratchasuda College, Mahidol University at Salaya.  In 2000, he moved to Viet Nam where he became the director of the Project on Opening University Education to Deaf People in Viet Nam Through Sign Language Analysis, Teaching, and Interpretation at Dong Nai University.  In 2002, he received the Edward Miner Gallaudet Award for recognition of international leaders for promoting the well-being of Deaf people of the world.  Since 2004, he has also worked at The Chinese University of Hong Kong as co-director of the Centre for Sign Linguistics and Deaf Studies and regional manager of the Asia-Pacific Sign Linguistics Research and Training Program, which focuses on training culturally Deaf people in sign linguistics. Since 2013 he has also held an adjunct professorship in the Department of Linguistics at The University of Hawai`i at Mãnoa where he directs a project to document Hawai`i Sign Language, a critically endangered language.  Professor Woodward has authored or co-authored more than 100 publications on various sign languages, Deaf cultures, and Deaf education around the world.  His current research interests include historical-comparative relationships of sign languages and the description and documentation of endangered sign languages.


February 14, 2014