This volume is the first to bring together researchers studying a range of different types of
emerging sign languages in the Americas and their relationship to the gestures produced in the
surrounding communities of hearing individuals. Contents Acknowledgements Olivier Le Guen
Marie Coppola and Josefina Safar Introduction: How Emerging Sign Languages in the Americas
contributes to the study of linguistics and (emerging) sign languages Part I: Emerging sign
languages of the Americas. Descriptions and analysis John Haviland Signs interaction
coordination and gaze: interactive foundations of ¿Z¿¿an emerging (sign) language from Chiapas
Mexico Laura Horton Representational strategies in shared homesign systems from Nebaj
Guatemala Josefina Safar and Rodrigo Petatillo Chan Strategies of noun-verb distinction in
Yucatec Maya Sign Languages Emmanuella Martinod Brigitte Garcia and Ivani Fusellier A
typological perspective on the meaningful handshapes in the emerging sign languages on Marajó
Island (Brazil) Ben Braithwaite Emerging sign languages in the Caribbean Olivier Le Guen
Rebeca Petatillo and Rita (Rossy) Kinil Canché Yucatec Maya multimodal interaction as the basis
for Yucatec Maya Sign Language Marie Coppola Gestures homesign sign language: Cultural and
social factors driving lexical conventionalization Part II: Sociolinguistic sketches John B.
Haviland Zinacantec family homesign (or ¿Z¿) Laura Horton A sociolinguistic sketch of deaf
individuals and families from Nebaj Guatemala Josefina Safar and Olivier Le Guen Yucatec Maya
Sign Language(s): A sociolinguistic overview Emmanuella Martinod Brigitte Garcia and Ivani
Fusellier Sign Languages on Marajó Island (Brazil) Ben Braithwaite Sociolinguistic sketch of
Providence Island Sign Language Kristian Ali and Ben Braithwaite Bay Islands Sign Language: A
Sociolinguistic Sketch Marie Coppola Sociolinguistic sketch: Nicaraguan Sign Language and
Homesign Systems in Nicaragua
