I am a professor of Finnish Sign Language at the Sign Language Centre, Department of Language and Communication Studies, at the University of Jyväskylä. My area of specialization is linguistic research related to sign languages, and I also actively engage with broader issues in linguistics and the philosophy of science. I am the program director for the bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in Finnish Sign Language Expert Studies and, among other roles, the chair of the National Advisory Board of the Sign Language Centre.
My research focuses on identifying and analyzing patterns and variations in the structure and use of signed languages. I have also examined the suitability of basic linguistic concepts for describing sign languages. I have extensively employed state-of-the-art data and research technologies in my work, including signed language corpora, motion capture, and brain imaging methods. Recently, I have directed my research toward questions that explore the boundaries of language as a phenomenon and toward documenting the emergence and development of Finnish Sign Language as a university-based field of research and education. My research findings can be applied directly to signed language instruction and support the sign language community’s efforts to raise awareness of signed languages as minority languages. For more information, see http://users.jyu.fi/~tojantun.
