A perfect end: A study of syllable codas in South African Sign Language

Köhlo, Mikhaela D.K.; Siebörger, Ian; Bennett, William G

Title: A perfect end: A study of syllable codas in South African Sign Language
Creator: Köhlo, Mikhaela D.K.
Creator: Siebörger, Ian
Creator: Bennett, William G
Subject: To be catalogued
Date Issued: 2017
Date: 2017
Type: text
Type: article
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/385295
Identifier: vital:68005
Identifier: xlink:href="https://www.ajol.info/index.php/splp/article/view/156629"
Description: South African Sign Language (SASL) is an understudied language with a rich and interesting phonology. For instance, while the language allows onsetless syllables, it does not allow codaless syllables, except in a small class of signs which do not include path movement. This article identifies and defines possible constraints on syllable codas in SASL. Using a video dictionary as data, we have coded handshapes at locations occurring at the onset and coda of the more common signs in the lexicon. In handshape, it has been found that the selected fingers may move to create different handshapes in the coda position, but that these coda handshapes are often [1], [5], [A], [Å] or [S], which are the unmarked handshapes of the non-dominant hand in asymmetrical two-handed signs (Sandler and Lillo-Martin 2006). Furthermore, the joint specification for the selected fingers can also vary in the coda position, but there appear to be strict limitations on which joint combinations are permitted in the onset-coda relationship. There are also constraints on coda location. The major body region can change within a single syllable, and the preferred body regions in the coda position are [body] and [H2]. It is evident not only that handshape and location constraints occur at the coda position, but that these constraints show patterns similar to coda neutralisation in many spoken languages.
Format: computer
Format: online resource
Format: application/pdf
Format: 1 online resource (30 pages)
Format: pdf
Publisher: Stellenbosch Papers in Linguistics (SPiL)
Language: English
Relation: Stellenbosch Papers in Linguistics Plus
Relation: Köhlo, M.D., Siebörger, I. and Bennett, W.G., 2017. A perfect end: A study of syllable codas in South African Sign Language. Stellenbosch Papers in Linguistics Plus, 52, pp.127-156
Relation: Stellenbosch Papers in Linguistics Plus volume 52 p.127 May 2017 2224-3380
Rights: Publisher
Rights: Use of this resource is governed by the terms and conditions of the Stellenbosch Papers in Linguistics (SPiL) Open Access Statement (https://spilplus.journals.ac.za/pub/about/)
Rights: Open Access

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Bennett, William (Dr)

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RU Department of Linguistics and Applied Language Studies

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