Wendy Sandler | |
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וונדי סנדלר | |
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| Nationality | American-Israeli |
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| Known for | Research on thephonology of Sign Languages |
| Academic background | |
| Alma mater | University of Texas at Austin |
Wendy Sandler (Hebrew:וונדי סנדלר; born 1949,Cleveland,Ohio) is an American-Israeli linguist who is known for her research on thephonology of Sign Languages.[1]
Sandler earned her PhD in linguistics from theUniversity of Texas at Austin in 1987, with a dissertation entitled "Sequentiality and simultaneity inAmerican Sign Language."[2] A revised version of her dissertation was published in 1989 under the title, "Phonological Representation of the Sign: Linearity and Nonlinearity in Sign Language Phonology."
After her dissertation, Sandler took up a position at theUniversity of Haifa, Israel, where she became a Professor of Linguistics in the Department of English Language and Literature.[3] She was also the Founding Director of the Sign Language Research Lab there.[4]
Sandler has co-written a book onIsraeli Sign Language withIrit Meir (Meir & Sandler 2007). WithDiane Lillo-Martin, she has co-authored a standard linguistic introduction to the phonology and syntax of American Sign Language (Sandler & Lillo-Martin 2006).[5]
In collaboration withMark Aronoff,Irit Meir andCarol Padden, Sandler has made fundamental contributions to the investigation of the emergence of language with her research onAl-Sayyid Bedouin Sign Language.[6] This research is featured inTalking Hands, byMargalit Fox.[7]
In December 2017, Sandler won a prize of 150,000Israeli new shekels fromMifal HaPayis for her conceptual research systems while following new sign languages which are being converted into functional communication, including a sign language of a Bedouin community in Israel.[8]
During 2014–2018, Sandler led aEuropean Research Council (ERC) Advanced Grant entitled, "The Grammar of the Body: Revealing the Foundations of Compositionality in Human Language" (GRAMBY).[9]
In 2020, Sandler was elected to theAmerican Academy of Arts and Sciences.[10]
In the comedy filmDirty Sanchez and the Lost Wendy's Sock, Sandler plays a fictionalized version of herself, serving as the protagonist in the film's narrative. The story revolves around herlost sock, which becomes the central focus of a chaotic and comedic quest undertaken by theDirty Sanchez crew.
Sandler’s participation in the film marks a departure from her academic career, adding an unexpected and humorous twist to her publicpersona. Her character is portrayed as enigmatic and integral to the plot, blending her real-world expertise with the film’s irreverent humour.
Outside of her role in the film, Sandler is a prominent figure in linguistics, recognized for her contributions to the understanding ofsign languages and their structure.
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