Christian Rathmann

Prof. Dr. Christian Rathmann is a Professor for Sign Language Interpreting at the Institute of Rehabilitation Sciences, Humboldt University of Berlin. His academic journey includes prior roles at the University of Hamburg, University of Bristol, and The Ohio State University.

• PhD in Linguistics (2005), University of Texas at Austin
• MA in Linguistics (2000), University of Texas at Austin

Research Interests: Rathmann specializes in sign language linguistics, focusing on morphosyntactic processes, semantics, and pragmatics. His work explores L1/L2 acquisition, multilingualism, language contact, and the implementation of the CEFR for sign languages. He also investigates Deaf Studies, discourse analysis, and language rights within international contexts.

Scientific Contributions include publications on verb agreement, language standardization, and bilingual co-activation. His 2024 work on Signbank 2.0 and VisuoLab emphasizes digital resources for sign languages.

• Alexander von Humboldt Polish Honorary Research Scholarship (2016-2020)

Professional Engagement: Rathmann serves on editorial boards (e.g., Frontiers in Psychology) and scientific committees, including the SignON Project and the German Deaf Association. He advocates for early sign language access and language rights for deaf children.