Chapter 3. The basic units of LIS
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Virginia Volterra
Abstract
The chapter begins by focusing on the Sign languages representation, describing, in particular, the system called SignWriting, adopted in this book. The sublexical units of LIS are described from an articulatory perspective. The fundamental components of the language are presented: manual components (handshape, orientation, location and movement) and components traditionally categorized as non-manual (facial expression, mouth actions, movement of the torso and gaze direction). In the second part of the chapter, deictic, lexical and transfer units of meaning, are described as well as the strategies that contribute to their formation in the light of three mechanisms of signification: pointing, describing and depicting.
Abstract
The chapter begins by focusing on the Sign languages representation, describing, in particular, the system called SignWriting, adopted in this book. The sublexical units of LIS are described from an articulatory perspective. The fundamental components of the language are presented: manual components (handshape, orientation, location and movement) and components traditionally categorized as non-manual (facial expression, mouth actions, movement of the torso and gaze direction). In the second part of the chapter, deictic, lexical and transfer units of meaning, are described as well as the strategies that contribute to their formation in the light of three mechanisms of signification: pointing, describing and depicting.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- From spoken to signed languages back and forth, between cognition and semiotics 1
- Chapter 1. Historical steps towards a new description of sign languages 7
- Chapter 2. The community 35
- Chapter 3. The basic units of LIS 63
- Chapter 4. Constructing sentences 101
- Chapter 5. Variation and change in LIS 133
- Chapter 6. Sign languages and spoken languages 165
- References 191
- Index 217
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- From spoken to signed languages back and forth, between cognition and semiotics 1
- Chapter 1. Historical steps towards a new description of sign languages 7
- Chapter 2. The community 35
- Chapter 3. The basic units of LIS 63
- Chapter 4. Constructing sentences 101
- Chapter 5. Variation and change in LIS 133
- Chapter 6. Sign languages and spoken languages 165
- References 191
- Index 217
