Sign Language Linguistics

Languages offer diverse methods of representing words that do not rely on sound.
Phonetics: If we only studied the languages of Europe, we would overlook many sounds in linguistics.
Tonal Languages: 60-70% of the world's languages are tonal, which use pitch to differentiate meanings.
European Languages: Most European languages (notably English) are not tonal, with exceptions like Swedish.

Differences and Similarities: The major discussion point is how sign languages differ from and resemble spoken languages.

**Review of Parameters: **
- Hand Shape: The specific shape and configuration of the hand when signing.
- Orientation: The direction in which the hands are facing when making a sign.
- Location: The physical location on the body where the sign is made.
- Movement: How the sign is executed, which can differentiate signs.
- Non-Manual Markers: Includes body movements, facial expressions, and other forms that accompany signing.
Analogies to spoken language: Sign language features, similar to spoken language, include aspects relating to phonetics and articulation.
Loudness in Sign Language: A sign can be intensified by increasing the size or movement, analogous to speaking louder in verbal language.
Rhyme in Sign Language: Words performed in sign can rhyme by matching parameters, just like rhyming words in spoken language.

ASL Example: Comparing the signs for "nurse" and "doctor."
- Activity: Determine which parameter differs between the two signs (shape of hands identified as different).
Iconicity: Many signs in sign language are more iconic than in spoken languages, meaning they have a non-arbitrary connection to their meanings.
Example of Iconicity: The sign for "nurse" visually resembles the action of checking a pulse.

Phonetics and Phonology: Analyses of syllable structure exist in both sign and spoken languages.
Spoken Language Example: A syllable in spoken language has onset (consonants before a vowel), nucleus (the vowel), and coda (consonants after the vowel).
Analogous Structures in Sign Language: Similar structural constraints exist in ASL, though they can differ in complexity.
Phonotactic Rules: Hand signs in ASL also follow constraints such as using the same motion with both hands.

Variability exists between different sign languages regarding handshapes.
Ethiopian Sign Language: More complex hand shapes than what might be found in American Sign Language (ASL).

Influences language change and variety; similar phenomena occur in spoken language.
Examples include finger fumblers (akin to tongue twisters) in sign language, illustrating ease of articulation challenges.

Sign languages have structures similar to spoken language, including roots, stems, and affixes.
Manual vs. Non-Manual Signs: Manual signs may require movement, while non-manual signs often serve different functions, such as indicating negation or modifying meaning.
Affixation: Changes to signs can indicate habitual actions (e.g., running sign reduplication).

Important for understanding questions versus declaratives in ASL.
Example: Non-manual markers like facial expressions can alter meanings significantly (e.g., emphasis on certain words).

Sentence Structure Variability: Sign languages like ASL are commonly SVO (Subject-Verb-Object) but can flexibly rearrange this.
Lack of Copulas: No signs equivalent to verbs like "to be" in present tense. Non-manual markers can indicate grammatical functions instead.
Aspect vs. Tense: Aspect addresses the action's duration or completion, while tense refers to the time frame of an action.

Sign languages utilize space for pronominal reference, unlike spoken language.
Pronouns are located in space, creating a visually dynamic system differentiating referents.

Sign languages can also form language families identified by shared features and historical documentation.
French Sign Language Influence: Notable contributions to sign language development through historical institutions facilitating education.
Home Sign: Development of localized signs within families contributed to the evolution of regional sign languages.

Understanding sign languages requires acknowledgment of their parameter-based structure, nuanced meanings conveyed through non-manual markers, and the significance of context.
The relationships between languages exemplify the evolution of signs through contact and historical developments.
Future studies will examine sociolinguistic aspects of sign languages and their evolution.
The session concludes with prompts encouraging students to reflect on interesting insights gained from lessons on sign languages.