Classifying hand configurations in Nederlandse Gebarentaal (Sign Language of the Netherlands)

This study investigates the morphological and morphosyntactic characteristics of hand configurations in signs, particularly in Nederlandse Gebarentaal (NGT). The literature on sign languages in general acknowledges that hand configurations can function as morphemes, more specifically as classifiers , in a subset of signs: verbs expressing the motion, location, and existence of referents (VELMs). These verbs are considered the output of productive sign formation processes. In contrast, other signs in which similar hand configurations appear ( iconic or motivated signs) have been considered to be lexicalized signs, not involving productive processes. This research report shows that meaningful hand configurations have (at least) two very different functions in the grammar of NGT (and presumably in other sign languages, too). First, they are agreement markers on VELMs, and hence are functional elements. Second, they are roots in motivated signs, and thus lexical elements. The latter signs are analysed as root compounds and are formed from various roots by productive processes. The similarities in surface form and differences in morphosyntactic characteristics observed in comparison of VELMs and root compounds are attributed to their different structures and to the sign language interface between grammar and phonetic for

Het Corpus NGT en de dagelijkse lespraktijk (2)

Contains fulltext : 86203.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)2 p

Morphology Below the Level of the Sign - Frozen Forms and Classifier Predicates

Contains fulltext : 67706.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access

Corpus NGT. 71 uur aan filmmateriaal in de Nederlandse Gebarentaal

Contains fulltext : 78806.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)2 p

Verlos ons van de glos

Contains fulltext : 86221.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)2 p

Meaning at the feature level in sign languages. The case of name signs in Sign Language of the Netherlands (NGT)

Item does not contain fulltextThis paper discusses the several ways in which name signs can be assigned in the Netherlands, i.e. as lexemes for typical characteristics of persons, initialised characterizing lexemes or fingerspelled forms combined with one or more sub-sign morphemes. Only iconic, morphologically complex lexemes in Sign Language of the Netherlands (NGT) are observed to undergo initialisation. Combination of a fingerspelled initial with a lexeme is subject to form and meaning preserving restrictions: a substituting hand configuration must not substantially differ in form and meaning from the substituted one, and/or the remaining morphemic construction should be preserved to the extent that the lexeme is still recognizable and interpretable. This provides independent evidence for the status of the signs that are used as the basis of name signs in NGT as morphologically complex. Support for the analysis of sub-sign components as morphemes is provided by the fact that morphemes below the level of the sign can be combined with motivated, fingerspelled elements in the construction of new name signs. Further study is necessary to learn to what extent other meaningful sub-sign components can be used for this as well

The Corpus NGT: an Online Corpus for Professionals and Laymen

Contains fulltext : 68356.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access

Verbal classifiers in sign languages. NGT, a case study

Item does not contain fulltextMPI, NijmegenGesture Grou

Het Corpus NGT en de dagelijkse lespraktijk (1)

Contains fulltext : 78990.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)2 p