Adam Charles Schembri

Accepting PhD Students

PhD projects

At the University of Birmingham, I have worked with PhD students conducting research into the morphology of Russian Sign Language (Masha Kyuseva) and interpretation between African-American Vernacular English and American Sign Language (Sharon Hill). Current PhD students are working on co-speech gestures in Polish/English bilinguals (Paulina Poplawksa), attitudes towards sign language variation in Algeria (Hadjira Cherif), on the grammar of Kufr Qassem Sign Language (Marah Jaraisy) and of Nepali Sign Language (Arjun Shrestha). I am also co-supervising a PhD student in Psychology with Robin Thompson who is working on sign language attitudes in younger deaf people (Kate Groves), and another student at the University of Melbourne leading on research into signing varieties in deaf communities of Hawai (Eleanor Jorgensen).
I am primarily interested in supervising students with an interest in sign language linguistics, gesture studies, as well as sociolinguistic variation and change in both spoken and signed languages.

Research activity per year

31 Article
5 Chapter
3 Book
3 Entry for encyclopedia/dictionary
More

46 results

2024
Sign duration and signing rate in British Sign Language, Dutch Sign Language and Swedish Sign Language
Börstell, C., Schembri, A. C. & Crasborn, O., 13 Aug 2024, In: Glossa Psycholinguistics. 3, 1, 15 p., X.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Open Access
File
70 Downloads (Pure)
2023
The social structure of signing communities and lexical variation: A cross-linguistic comparison of three unrelated sign languages
Lutzenberger, H., Mudd, K., Stamp, R. & Schembri, A., 20 Oct 2023, In: Glossa. 8, 1, p. 1-40 40 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Open Access
File
80 Downloads (Pure)
2022

Lumping and splitting: sign language delineation and ideologies of linguistic differentiation
Palfreyman, N. & Schembri, A., Feb 2022, In: Journal of Sociolinguistics. 26, 1, p. 105-112 8 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Comment/debate › peer-review
2021
Constituent order in Serbian Sign language declarative clauses
Bajić, D. R., Vermeerbergen, M., Schembri, A. & van Herreweghe, M., 7 Apr 2021, In: Glossa. 6, 1, 32 p., 39.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Open Access
File
148 Downloads (Pure)
2019

Sociolinguistics of sign languages
Stamp, R. & Schembri, A., Mar 2019, The SAGE Encyclopedia of Human Communication Sciences and Disorders. Ball, M. J. & Damico, J. S. (eds.). SAGE Publications, Vol. 4.
Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Entry for encyclopedia/dictionary
2018
Comparing signers and speakers: Building a directly comparable corpus of Auslan and Australian English
Hodge, G., Sekine, K., Schembri, A. & Johnston, T., 1 Jan 2018, In: Corpora. 14, 1, p. 63-76 14 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
2 Citations (Scopus)
Indicating verbs as typologically unique constructions: Reconsidering verb 'agreement' in sign languages
Schembri, A., Cormier, K. & Fenlon, J., 14 Aug 2018, In: Glossa. 3, 1, 40 p., 89.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Open Access
File
213 Downloads (Pure)
Modification of indicating verbs in British Sign Language: A corpus-based study
Fenlon, J., Schembri, A. & Cormier, K., 31 Mar 2018, In: Language. 94, 1, p. 84-118
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Open Access
File
16 Citations (Scopus)

411 Downloads (Pure)
Sociolinguistic typology and sign languages
Schembri, A., Fenlon, J., Cormier, K. & Johnston, T., 21 Feb 2018, In: Frontiers in Psychology. 9, FEB, 200.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Open Access
File
6 Citations (Scopus)

210 Downloads (Pure)
Variation and change in English varieties of British Sign Language
Schembri, A., Stamp, R., Fenlon, J. & Cormier, K., 13 Feb 2018, Sociolinguistics in England. Braber, N. & Jansen, S. (eds.). 1 ed. Palgrave Macmillan Ltd.
Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter (peer-reviewed) › peer-review
Variation and change in varieties of British Sign Language in England
Schembri, A., Stamp, R., Fenlon, J. & Cormier, K., 2 Jan 2018, Sociolinguistics in England. Braber, N. & Jansen, S. (eds.). London: Palgrave Macmillan, p. 165-188 24 p.
Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter
2017

Australian Sign Language (Auslan)
Schembri, A., 2017, (Accepted/In press) The SAGE Encyclopedia of Human Communication Sciences and Disorders. Ball, M. J. & Damico, J. S. (eds.). SAGE Publications
Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Entry for encyclopedia/dictionary
British Sign Language (BSL)
Schembri, A., 2017, (Accepted/In press) The SAGE Encyclopedia of Human Communication Sciences and Disorders. Ball, M. J. & Damico, J. S. (eds.). SAGE Publications
Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Entry for encyclopedia/dictionary
Form, Meaning and Focus in American Sign Language by Miako N.P. Rankin (Review)
Schembri, A., 2017, In: Sign Language Studies. 17, 2, p. 281-284 3 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Book/Film/Article review
2016
On the conventionalization of mouth actions in Australian sign language
Johnston, T., van Roekel, J. & Schembri, A., 1 Mar 2016, In: Language and Speech. 59, 1, p. 3-42 40 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
13 Citations (Scopus)
Regional Sign Language Varieties in Contact: Investigating Patterns of Accommodation
Stamp, R., Schembri, A., Evans, B. G. & Cormier, K., 1 Jan 2016, In: Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education. 21, 1, p. 70-82 13 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
4 Citations (Scopus)
2015
Building BSL SignBank: The lemma dilemma revisited
Fenlon, J., Cormier, K. & Schembri, A., Jun 2015, In: International Journal of Lexicography. 28, 2, p. 169-206 38 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
10 Citations (Scopus)
FINISH variation and grammaticalization in a signed language: How far down this well-trodden pathway is Auslan (Australian Sign Language)?
Johnston, T., Cresdee, D., Schembri, A. & Woll, B., Mar 2015, In: Language Variation and Change. 27, 1, p. 117-155 39 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
5 Citations (Scopus)
Indicating verbs in British Sign Language favour motivated use of space
Cormier, K., Fenlon, J. & Schembri, A., Nov 2015, In: Open Linguistics. 1, 1, p. 684-707
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Open Access
16 Citations (Scopus)
Introduction
Schembri, A. C. & Lucas, C., 1 Jan 2015, Sociolinguistics and Deaf Communities. Cambridge University Press, p. 1-4 4 p.
Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter
1 Citation (Scopus)
Sociolinguistics and deaf communities
Schembri, A. & Lucas, C., 1 Jan 2015, Cambridge University Press. 182 p.
Research output: Book/Report › Book
9 Citations (Scopus)
Sociolinguistic Variation and change in British Sign Language number signs: Evidence of Leveling?
Stamp, R., Schembri, A., Fenlon, J. & Rentelis, R., 2015, In: Sign Language Studies. 15, 2, p. 151-181 31 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
3 Citations (Scopus)
Variation and change in sign languages
Bayley, R., Schembri, A. & Lucas, C., 1 Jan 2015, Sociolinguistics and Deaf Communities. Cambridge University Press, p. 61-94 34 p.
Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter (peer-reviewed) › peer-review
2 Citations (Scopus)
2014

Finding Common Ground: Sign language and gesture research in Australia
Green, J., Kelly, B. F. & Schembri, A., 3 Apr 2014, In: Australian Journal of Linguistics. 34, 2, p. 185-192 8 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2 Citations (Scopus)
Lexical variation and change in British Sign Language
Stamp, R., Schembri, A., Fenlon, J., Rentelis, R., Woll, B. & Cormier, K., 23 Apr 2014, In: PLoS ONE. 9, 4, 14 p., e94053.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Open Access
File
22 Citations (Scopus)

225 Downloads (Pure)
Using conversational data to determine lexical frequency in British Sign Language: The influence of text type
Fenlon, J., Schembri, A., Rentelis, R., Vinson, D. & Cormier, K., May 2014, In: Lingua. 143, p. 187-202 16 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
16 Citations (Scopus)
2013

Pronouns and pointing in sign languages
Cormier, K., Schembri, A. & Woll, B., 2013, In: Lingua.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

34 Citations (Scopus)
Variation in handshape and orientation in British Sign Language: The case of the '1' hand configuration
Fenlon, J., Schembri, A., Rentelis, R. & Cormier, K., Jan 2013, In: Language & Communication. 33, 1, p. 69-91 23 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
21 Citations (Scopus)
2012
First language acquisition differs from second language acquisition in prelingually deaf signers: Evidence from sensitivity to grammaticality judgement in British Sign Language
Cormier, K., Schembri, A., Vinson, D. & Orfanidou, E., 2012, In: Cognition. 124, 1, p. 50-65
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
49 Citations (Scopus)
Lexicalisation and de-lexicalisation processes in sign languages: Comparing depicting constructions and viewpoint gestures
Cormier, K., Quinto-Pozos, D., Sevcikova, Z. & Schembri, A., 2012, In: Language & Communication. 32, 4, p. 329-348
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
40 Citations (Scopus)
2011

Mouth gestures in British Sign Language: A case study of tongue protrusion in BSL narratives
Lewin, D. & Schembri, A., 2011, In: Sign Language and Linguistics (Online).
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

11 Citations (Scopus)
Variable "subject" presence in Australian sign language and New Zealand sign language
McKee, R., Schembri, A., McKee, D. & Johnston, T., 2011, In: Language Variation and Change.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

30 Citations (Scopus)
2010
Diversity across sign languages and spoken languages: Implications for language universals
Cormier, K., Schembri, A. & Woll, B., 2010, In: Lingua. 120, 12, p. 2664-2667
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
6 Citations (Scopus)
Sociolinguistic variation in British, Australian and New Zealand Sign Languages
Schembri, A., Cormier, K., Johnston, T., McKee, D., McKee, R. & Woll, B., 1 Jan 2010, Sign Languages. Cambridge University Press, p. 476-498 23 p.
Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter
13 Citations (Scopus)
Variation, lexicalization and grammaticalization in signed languages
Johnston, T. & Schembri, A., 2010, In: Langage et Societe.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

18 Citations (Scopus)
2009
Phonological variation and change in Australian and New Zealand sign languages: The location variable
Schembri, A., McKee, D., McKee, R., Pivac, S., Johnston, T. & Goswell, D., 2009, In: Language Variation and Change. 21, 2, p. 193-231
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
40 Citations (Scopus)
The use of space with indicating verbs in Auslan: A corpus-based investigation
De Beuzeville, L., Johnston, T. & Schembri, A., 2009, In: Sign Language and Linguistics (Online). 12, 1, p. 53-82
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
36 Citations (Scopus)
2008
One hand or two? Nativisation of fingerspelling in ASL and BANZSL
Cormier, K., Schembri, A. & Tyrone, M. E., 2008, In: Sign Language and Linguistics (Online). 11, 1, p. 3-44
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
18 Citations (Scopus)
'Real data are messy': Considering cross-linguistic analysis of constituent ordering in Auslan, VGT, and ISL
Johnston, T., Vermeerbergen, M., Schembri, A. & Leeson, L., 25 Sept 2008, Visible Variation: Comparative Studies on Sign Language Structure. De Gruyter, p. 163-205 43 p.
Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter

24 Citations (Scopus)
The British Sign Language (BSL) norms for age of acquisition, familiarity, and iconicity
Vinson, D. P., Cormier, K., Denmark, T., Schembri, A. & Vigliocco, G., 2008, In: Behaviour Research Methods. 40, p. 1079-1087
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
72 Citations (Scopus)
2007
Australian sign language (Auslan): An introduction to sign language linguistics
Johnston, T. & Schembri, A., 1 Jan 2007, Cambridge University Press. 323 p.
Research output: Book/Report › Book
210 Citations (Scopus)
Sociolinguistic variation in the use of fingerspelling in Australian Sign Language: A pilot study
Schembri, A. & Johnston, T., 2007, In: Sign Language Studies. 7, 3
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

24 Citations (Scopus)
2006
Name dropping: Location variation in Australian sign language
Schembri, A., Johnston, T. & Goswell, D., Nov 2006, Multilingualism and Sign Languages: From The Great Plains to Australia. Lucas, C. (ed.). 1 ed. Gallaudet University Press, p. 121-156 36 p. (Sociolinguistics in Deaf Communities).
Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter
15 Citations (Scopus)
2005
Comparing action gestures and classifier verbs of motion: evidence from Australian sign language, Taiwan sign language, and nonsigners' gestures without speech
Schembri, A., Jones, C. & Burnham, D., 1 Jul 2005, In: Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education. 10, 3, p. 272–290 19 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
77 Citations (Scopus)
2003

Rethinking 'classifiers' in signed languages
Schembri, A., 2003
Research output: Book/Report › Book

121 Citations (Scopus)
1999
On defining Lexeme in a signed language
Johnston, T. & Schembri, A., 1 Jan 1999, In: Sign Language and Linguistics (Online). 2, 2, p. 115-185 71 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
77 Citations (Scopus)

Adam Charles Schembri

Research output

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