A Study of Classifier Constructions in Japanese Sign Language Based on Corpus Data

日本手语（JSL）中的动作表达通常包括带有我们称之为“分类器（CL）”的动词。在典型的动作表达中，谓语通常构成连续动词结构（SVC），最多由3个动词组成；一个方式动词和两个带有CLs的动作动词。我们对JSL数据的分析表明，当最后一个动作动词与语义上与动作事件不太“一致”的方式动词（例如动作动词）同时出现时，这种结构中的最后一个动作动词可能会失去它的CL，被语法化，并成为语法标记。正是这种SVC系统地产生了JSL中的语法功能词。

Motion expressions in Japanese Sign Language(JSL) typically include verbs with what we call"classifiers(CL)". In typical motion expressions, a predicate usually forms a serial verb construction(SVC), consisting of 3 verbs at most ; one manner verb, and two motion verbs with CLs. Our analysis of JSL data shows that the last motion verb in this construction can loose its CL, be grammaticalized, and become a grammatical marker when it co-occurs with a manner verb which is semantically less"congruous"with the motion event(an action verb, for example). It is this SVC that systematically produces grammatical functional words in JSL.