17.2370, Diss: Phonology: Hansen: 'Recombinant Features for the Movements of...'

[linguist at LINGUISTLIST.ORG]

LINGUIST List: Vol-17-2370. Tue Aug 22 2006. ISSN: 1068 - 4875.

Subject: 17.2370, Diss: Phonology: Hansen: 'Recombinant Features for the Movements of...'

Moderators: Anthony Aristar, Eastern Michigan U <aristar at linguistlist.org>
            Helen Aristar-Dry, Eastern Michigan U <hdry at linguistlist.org>
 
Reviews: Laura Welcher, Rosetta Project / Long Now Foundation  
         <reviews at linguistlist.org> 

Homepage: http://linguistlist.org/

The LINGUIST List is funded by Eastern Michigan University, Wayne
State University, and donations from subscribers and publishers.

Editor for this issue: Hannah Morales <hannah at linguistlist.org>
================================================================  

To post to LINGUIST, use our convenient web form at
http://linguistlist.org/LL/posttolinguist.html.


===========================Directory==============================  

1)
Date: 22-Aug-2006
From: Hannah Morales < hannah at linguistlist.org >
Subject: Dissertation AbstractRecombinant Features for the Movements of American Sign Language 

	
-------------------------Message 1 ---------------------------------- 
Date: Tue, 22 Aug 2006 11:51:22
From: Hannah Morales < hannah at linguistlist.org >
Subject: Dissertation AbstractRecombinant Features for the Movements of American Sign Language 
 


Institution: Purdue University 
Program: Interdepartmental Program in Linguistics 
Dissertation Status: Completed 
Degree Date: 2006 

Author: Kathryn Hansen

Dissertation Title: Recombinant Features for the Movements of American Sign
Language 

Linguistic Field(s): Phonology

Subject Language(s): American Sign Language (ase)


Dissertation Director(s):
Myrdene Anderson
Jackson Gandour
Nataliya Semchynska-Uhl
Ronnie Wilbur

Dissertation Abstract:

Recombinant distinctive features are economical to phonological systems, 
yet the movement portion of American Sign Language (ASL) has not yet been 
analyzed with such features. Such an analysis would require movements to 
be considered as contrastive segments or units along the syntagmatic axis, 
in contradistinction to non-movement segments or units. Few models of ASL 
phonology have conceptualized movements in this way. To broaden the 
perspective of sign language phonology, this study analyzes the movements 
of ASL with the procedures of the phonemic method, which allows 
identification of contrastive segments along the syntagmatic axis. 
Oppositions among these segments then show dimensions of contrast, which, 
in turn, reveal the distinctive features. 

This analysis shows the movement segments to contrast according to Type of 
movements, which consists of the Arm and Bipartiteness dimensions; 
Direction of Movement, resulting from the Compactness and Extension 
dimensions; Shape; Contact; and Handedness, which refers to one versus two 
hands moving. Features along these dimensions recombine to form the 
various contrastive movements. Phonemic statements have been written for 
the movement types, listing allophonic variations with their conditioning 
environments. This feature system clarifies certain movement behaviors 
that have, until now, been unaccounted for and is a step toward uniting 
signed and spoken language phonologies. 




-----------------------------------------------------------
LINGUIST List: Vol-17-2370