text_combined: cognitive linguistics theme session call papers 6th international cognitive linguistics association icla conference stockholm july 1999 typological research signed languages cognition discourse structure session coordinators sherman wilcox terry janzen several hundred signed languages known exist world used within communities signed language primary language grammatical description languages however extensive confined handful languages speculation signed languages may share significant number linguistic features even languages genetically unrelated due part common use hands body articulators eyes rather ears perceptual organs little actual work however carried respect specific grammatical features shared may differ many questions surrounding relationship cognition signed language structure involve crosslinguistic typology structural semantic categories yet clear however whether certain linguistic features signed languages emerge crosslinguistically users languages employ similar articulatory perceptual systems much variation within particular categories exists purpose session focus information processing discourse structure typological features among signed languages cognitive approach topic assumes signers structure discourse best represent convey cognitively salient grammar emerges within community language users reflect cognitive motivation invite papers focus cognition features discourse structure variety signed languages intention facilitating discussion among researchers regarding typological features abstracts 700 1400 words invited submitted november 31 following wilcox unm edu tjanzen post rrcc mb ca sherman wilcox ph associate professor dept linguistics university new mexico albuquerque nm 87131 http www unm edu wilcox