Eyeblinks and ASL phrase structure

Autor/a: WILBUR, Ronnie
Año: 1994
Editorial: Sign Language Studies, Vol. 84 (1994) pp. 221-240
Tipo de código: Copyright
Soporte: Digital

Temas

Lingüística » Lingüística de otras Lenguas de Signos

Detalles

Formulated a linguistic generalization for the occurrence of inhibited periodic eyeblinking by fluent ASL signers. In the 1st component (observation) significant nonmanuals from commercial videotaped signing sources were transcribed and locations of eyeblinks were analyzed with respect to the signed signal and other nonmanuals. In the 2nd component (prediction) a generalization concerning the possible locations of eyeblinks was formulated and tested by making predictions on a sample of signing. In the 3rd component (confirmation, with 5 deaf and 6 hearing signers) C. Baker and C. Padden's (1978) observation that signers do not blink after the conditional clause before a question is reconsidered. Data to the contrary are provided and a possible explanation of Baker and Padden's conclusion is offered. Signers' eyeblinks are shown to be sensitive to syntactic structure, from which intonational phrases may be derived.