Emergence of grammar in a new sign language

描述(由申请人提供)：这个项目抓住了一个难得的机会，研究一种新的孤立的手语的出现，这种手语诞生于不到70年前的以色列阿布沙拉贝都因人中。由于这个拥有3500名成员的社区的家庭和社会模式，现在有80名聋人(占总人口的2%以上)，从中年到婴儿期。语言完全融入社区，聋哑人和听力家庭混杂在一起，人们熟练地使用这种语言。通过对不同年龄段的手语者的研究，可以看出语言发展的历史阶段是同步的。该项目将主要关注已知的手语普遍属性；在已建立的手语中，这些属性通过具有特定属性的动词一致系统和量词结构的语法子系统来体现。初步调查显示，即使是这些具有象征性动机的手语通用系统，也是作为一个非系统的混合体开始存在的，是逐渐发展的，而不是突然发展的。我们将记录历代语法属性的历时演变，并研究它们与自然语言语法的普遍属性以及与其他手语的语法的关系。我们还将通过研究节奏和面部表情的使用来绘制韵律系统的出现图。由于韵律成分反映的是句法成分，我们打算以更突出的韵律模式为切入点来分析阿布沙姆手语的句法结构。使用一系列特别设计的启发性材料--上演的小插曲、动画片和个人图片的视频剪辑--我们将研究一代又一代人的语言。将为社区制作一本词典，作为在历时语料库中引出单个单词的同步手段。由于要研究的语言是新的、孤立的、在家庭环境中正常传播的，它应该突出那些对任何自然人类语言都是必不可少的属性。该项目的成果将对必须模仿这样的系统的企业有用：为增强型交流设计符号系统，为自闭症儿童设计基本的自然交流系统，等等。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This project grasps a rare opportunity to study the emergence of grammar in a new and isolated sign language born less than 70 years ago among Abu Shara Bedouins in Israel. Because of the family and social patterns in this 3,500-member community, there are now 80 deaf people (2+% of the population), ranging from middle age through infancy. The language is fully integrated into the community, with mixed deaf and hearing families, and heating people using the language proficiently. The historical stages of development of the language are observable synchronically through the study of signers of different ages. The project will focus primarily on known sign language universal properties; in established sign languages, these properties are manifested by a verb agreement system with particular properties, and by a grammatical subsystem of classifier constructions. Preliminary investigation reveals that even these iconically motivated and sign language universal systems begin life as an unsystematic amalgam, developing gradually rather than abruptly. We will document the diachronic evolution of grammatical properties through the generations and study their relation to universal properties of natural language grammar as well as to the grammars of other sign languages. We will also chart the emergence of a prosodic system by investigating the use of rhythm and facial expression. As the constituents of prosody are known to reflect syntactic constituency, we aim to use the more salient prosodic patterning as a point of entry for analyzing the syntactic structure of Abu Sham Sign Language. Using a specially designed battery of elicitation materials -- video clips of staged vignettes, animated cartoons, and individual pictures - we wilt study the language through the generations. A dictionary will be produced for the community, which will double as a synchronic means of eliciting individual words over a diachronic corpus. As the language to be studied is new, isolated, and transmitted normally in family settings, it is expected to highlight those properties that are essential to any natural human language. The results of the project will be useful for enterprises that must mimic such a system: designing symbol systems for augmentative communication, devising basic natural communication systems for autistic children, and others.