Mª del Carmen Cabeza Pereiro

I am a Full Professor of General Linguistics at the University of Vigo. My research focuses on the study of sign language. Regarding my teaching in undergraduate and master’s courses, I strive to provide students with a comprehensive view of linguistics, without overlooking signed communication. Additionally, I am involved in doctoral programs, both in their organization and coordination, as well as in supervising dissertations, particularly in the field of sign language and gestural communication.
My research on sign language primarily addresses issues of grammar and discourse. From an usage-based perspective on language, I have led projects on corpus compilation and annotation, and I have investigated specific aspects of grammar, such as classifier predicates and argument structure. Moreover, part of the corpus has been published on the iSignos platform, a tool designed for linguists, interpreters, or educators who need signed materials for their work. I have also explored, from a cognitive and functional perspective, highly relevant iconicity phenomena in sign languages, such as the role of metaphor in lexical creation and the influence of metonymy on argument structure. Another key area of interest is language planning and the recognition of linguistic rights for deaf individuals. Since 2019, I have collaborated with the GTM group on machine translation projects, contributing my expertise and linguistic knowledge.
I am a member of the research group Grammar, Discourse, and Society (GRADES) at the University of Vigo and of the teaching innovation group Linkterpreting: Teaching from a Human Rights Perspective. I have conducted research on linguistic sexism and am actively involved in projects aimed at analyzing and improving communication, training, and information in contexts of gender-based violence, particularly with deaf victims.