DOCTORAL DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Phonetics and Phonology of Handshape in American Sign Language

虽然对口语中语音(梯度发音模式)和音系(范畴发音模式)之间的区别的研究增加了我们对语言模式的理解，但通过考察手语中的这种区别可以获得进一步的理解。目前的研究计划将探索美国手语中手形变异的梯度模式和范畴模式之间的区别。通过一系列的产生和感知实验，研究人员将量化手形协同发音(手势的梯度重叠)和同化(范畴特征扩散)在美国手语中的存在程度。生产实验将产生ASL手形的运动学数据，这些数据是由本地ASL手语者在不同的语言环境中产生的。这些数据将接受重复测量的方差分析(ANOVA)，以确定ASL中手形变化的程度以及显著影响这种变化的因素。还将分析手形手势与手势移动手势的时间相关性，以确定数据是最好地理解为同化过程的产物还是协同发音过程的产物。最后，生产数据将被用来为知觉实验创造刺激。ASL的原住民和近原住民签名者将执行强制选择识别任务。通过知觉实验，研究人员将能够确定手形中和发生的程度，从而获得关于手形变化模式应该被归类为同化还是协同发音的证据。语音和手势发音模式中发现的相似之处可以用来将手势重叠和特征传播理论扩展到口语-音频通道之外的手势-视觉通道，从而提供了更广泛的协同发音和同化理论。手语和语音产生的相似之处表明，协同发音等现象并不取决于语音模块的可用性。相反，手势和语音产生的共性可能反映了电机控制的一般原则，如电机经济性，这是所有电机系统共同的。

9820423MeierWhile examinations of the distinction between phonetics (gradient sound patterns) and phonology (categorical sound patterns) in spoken languages have increased our understanding of linguistic patterns, further understanding can be gained by examining this distinction in sign language. The current proposal outlines a program of research that will probe the distinction between gradient and categorical patterns of handshape variation in American Sign Language (ASL).Through a series of production and perception experiments, the researchers will quantify the degree to which handshape coarticulation (gradient overlap of gestures) and assimilation (categorical feature spreading) are present in ASL. The production experiments will yield kinematic data on ASL handshapes as produced in different linguistic environments by native ASL signers. These data will be subjected to repeated measures analyses of variance (ANOVA's) to determine the extent to which handshape variation occurs in ASL and the factors that significantly affect such variation. The temporal correlation of the handshape gesture with respect to the movement gesture of a sign will also be analyzed to determine whether the data are best understood as the product of an assimilatory or a coarticulatory process. Finally, the production data will be used to create the stimuli for the perception experiments. Native and near native signers of ASL will be perform forced-choice identification tasks. Through the perception experiments the researchers will be able to determine the extent to which handshape neutralization occurs, thus gaining evidence as to whether the handshape variation patterns should be classified as assimilation or coarticulation.Similarities found in the articulatory patterns of speech and sign can be used to extend theories of gestural overlap and feature spreading beyond the oral-audio modality and into the manual-visual modality, providing a broader theory of coarticulation and assimilation. Similarities in the production of sign and speech suggest that phenomenon such as coarticulation do not depend on the availability of a speech module. Instead commonalities in the production of sign and speech may reflect general principles of motor control, such as motor economy, that are common to all motor systems.