Please join us for a discussion and Q&A with Erin Moriarty from the University of Virginia. She will explore the historical trajectory of Cambodian Sign Language, examining its ongoing development and the unique metalinguistic engagement of signing communities with sign languages in general. From the calibration involved in the use of International Sign (IS) to the intentional modifications of American Sign Language (ASL) to remove English influences and the technoscientific invention of visual systems to represent English (and other spoken languages), deaf educators and signers have played an active role in shaping their linguistic landscapes. She also examines the theoretical debates about the classification of signed languages. Drawing on her ethnographic findings in Cambodia and Indonesia, including the complex sociolinguistic dynamics of Cambodian signed languages, this talk highlights the interplay between linguistic agency, community collaboration, and the intentional design of visual communication systems. Funded by the Global Arts and Humanities Discovery Theme grant.