NZSL311 Key terms Wk 5

Lexicon

The words or vocabulary of a language

Core (native) lexicon

Vocabulary that is listed in a SL dictionary. These signs have a conventional form. Also known as ‘frozen’ or ‘established’ lexicon. These signs usually conform to the phonological constraints of symmetry and dominance.

Productive (native) lexicon

Depicting (aka. classifier) and pointing signs that don’t have a fixed form. They are productive in the sense that meaningful parts can be re-combined for specific meanings in context

Non-native lexicon

Signs that originate outside the native sign language – fingerspelling loans and signs loaned from other sign languages

Lexicalised

Signs that have become conventional or established as a ‘word’. E.g., a productive classifier or a fingerspelling may become lexicalised through regular use

Completely specific core

Signs in which all parameters are fixed or ‘specified’ – usually monomorphemic signs. Any change to sign parameters (HOLM) will change the meaning

Incompletely specified core lexicon

Signs in which only some of the parameters are fixed or ‘specified’ – forming the base or root morpheme. These signs usually contain more than one morpheme. Certain parameters may be altered, such as movement in agreement/spatial verbs, or location/number handshape in pronoun signs

What are the different types of classifiers/depicting signs?

SASS – size and shape specifiers (describe appearance properties)

Entity (aka semantic) – handshape that represent specific classes of objects: person, vehicle, large object, plane

Mass & Quantity – plural entities

Body part - handshapes that represent parts of the body

Handling –represent grasping and using/ manipulating objects with the hands. Instrument classifiers have the same function, but represent shape properties of the object, rather than the hands.

Element – water, light, air, fire

Texture and consistency – eg, sticky, wet, sparkly, smooth