Depicting handshapes for animate referents in Swedish Sign Language
In this article, we explore the distribution of handshapes used in depicting constructions (also known as classifier predicates) representing animate referents in Swedish Sign Language (STS). Using data from the STS Corpus, the analysis is focused on factors influencing the choice of handshape with...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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De Gruyter
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Open Linguistics |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1515/opli-2025-0048 |
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| author | Simper-Allen Pia Börstell Carl |
| author_facet | Simper-Allen Pia Börstell Carl |
| author_sort | Simper-Allen Pia |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In this article, we explore the distribution of handshapes used in depicting constructions (also known as classifier predicates) representing animate referents in Swedish Sign Language (STS). Using data from the STS Corpus, the analysis is focused on factors influencing the choice of handshape with regard to the 1-handshape vs 2-handshape variants, exploring their usage in different functions and contexts. The results demonstrate patterns in how signers use specific handshapes to depict motion and location events involving human(-like) and animal referents. The findings suggest that the event type, textual context and animacy of the depicted referent influence the choice between the 1- vs 2-handshape categories in STS, and that the 2-handshape category is used far more often than the former in our data. Furthermore, some of the analysed signs seem to have a limited depicting function in certain uses, suggesting possible grammaticalisation into a general [motion + VERB] construction, expressing an action being carried out at another location. The article contributes new insights into the nuanced use of handshapes in depicting constructions in STS and describes language-specific patterns in addition to pointing out cross-linguistic similarities/differences with regard to the expression of motion and location. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-2f7f904b021b4e82aef176065e45aa5c |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2300-9969 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | De Gruyter |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Open Linguistics |
| spelling | doaj-art-2f7f904b021b4e82aef176065e45aa5c2025-08-20T02:28:50ZengDe GruyterOpen Linguistics2300-99692025-04-0111111110.1515/opli-2025-0048Depicting handshapes for animate referents in Swedish Sign LanguageSimper-Allen Pia0Börstell Carl1Department of Linguistics, Stockholm University, Stockholm, SwedenDepartment of Linguistic, Literary and Aesthetic Studies, University of Bergen, Bergen, NorwayIn this article, we explore the distribution of handshapes used in depicting constructions (also known as classifier predicates) representing animate referents in Swedish Sign Language (STS). Using data from the STS Corpus, the analysis is focused on factors influencing the choice of handshape with regard to the 1-handshape vs 2-handshape variants, exploring their usage in different functions and contexts. The results demonstrate patterns in how signers use specific handshapes to depict motion and location events involving human(-like) and animal referents. The findings suggest that the event type, textual context and animacy of the depicted referent influence the choice between the 1- vs 2-handshape categories in STS, and that the 2-handshape category is used far more often than the former in our data. Furthermore, some of the analysed signs seem to have a limited depicting function in certain uses, suggesting possible grammaticalisation into a general [motion + VERB] construction, expressing an action being carried out at another location. The article contributes new insights into the nuanced use of handshapes in depicting constructions in STS and describes language-specific patterns in addition to pointing out cross-linguistic similarities/differences with regard to the expression of motion and location.https://doi.org/10.1515/opli-2025-0048swedish sign languagedepicting constructiondepicting handshapemotion verblocationclassifiergrammaticalisation |
| spellingShingle | Simper-Allen Pia Börstell Carl Depicting handshapes for animate referents in Swedish Sign Language Open Linguistics swedish sign language depicting construction depicting handshape motion verb location classifier grammaticalisation |
| title | Depicting handshapes for animate referents in Swedish Sign Language |
| title_full | Depicting handshapes for animate referents in Swedish Sign Language |
| title_fullStr | Depicting handshapes for animate referents in Swedish Sign Language |
| title_full_unstemmed | Depicting handshapes for animate referents in Swedish Sign Language |
| title_short | Depicting handshapes for animate referents in Swedish Sign Language |
| title_sort | depicting handshapes for animate referents in swedish sign language |
| topic | swedish sign language depicting construction depicting handshape motion verb location classifier grammaticalisation |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1515/opli-2025-0048 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT simperallenpia depictinghandshapesforanimatereferentsinswedishsignlanguage AT borstellcarl depictinghandshapesforanimatereferentsinswedishsignlanguage |