Abstract
This paper focuses on verb classifiers in Israeli Sign Language (ISL). Classifiers in sign languages are morphemes consisting of particular hand configurations, which classify a group of nouns on the basis of a salient characteristic feature. This feature could be their size and shape, some semantic similarity, or the way in which they are being handled. Verb classifiers attach to verbal roots denoting motion and location, to form a complex verb expressing spatial relations as well as a class of possible referents of which these spatial relations obtain. Classifiers have been the focus of numerous studies in a variety of sign languages.1 Investigations of the phonology and semantics of classifiers have revealed that (a) despite their iconic nature, classifier systems of sign languages are discrete, grammatical and rule governed, and as such are part of the linguistic structure of the language; and (b) the semantic categories expressed by sign language classifiers are basically the same categories found in spoken languages (see Supalla 1982, 1986, and Mcdonald 1983).
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Allen, K. 1977. Classifiers. Language 53, 285–311.
Anderson, S.R. 1992. A-morphous Morphology. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Aronoff, M. 1997. “Gender Agreement as Morphology”. Paper presented at the First Mediterranean Morphology Conference, Mitilini, Greece.
Aronoff, M., Meir, I. and W. Sandler (1999). -Universal and Particular Aspects of Sign Language Morphology“. Paper presented at the 15th annual meeting of the Israeli Association for Theoretical Linguistics, Haifa, Israel.
Baker, M. 1988. Incorporation: A Theory of Grammatical Function Changing. Chicago: Chicago University Press.
Bergman, B. and L. Wallin. 1998. “The Discourse Function of Noun Classifiers in Swedish Sign Language”. Paper presented at the Sixth International Conference on Theoretical Issues in Sign Language Research, Washington D.C., Gallaudet University.
Booij, G. 1992. “Morphology, Semantics and Argument Structure”. In Roca, I.M. (ed.), Thematic Structure. Its Role in Grammar. Berlin and New York: Foris, 47–64.
Brennan, M. 1990. Word Formation in British Sign Language. Stockholm, University of Stockholm.
Craig, C. 1986. Noun Classes and Categorization. Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamins Publishing Company.
Di Sciullo, A.M. and E. Williams. 1987. On the Definition of Word. LI monograph 14. Cambridge MA: MIT Press.
Dixon, R.M.W. 1986. “Noun Classes and Noun Classification in Typological Perspective”. In Craig (ed.), 105–112.
Engberg-Pedesen, E. 1993. Space in Danish Sign Language. Hamburg, Signum.
Jackendoff, R. 1987. “The Status of Thematic Relations in Linguistic Theory”. LI 18, 369–411.
Jackendoff, R. 1990. Semantic Structures. Cambridge MA: The MIT Press.
Janis, W.D. 1992. Morphosyntax of ASL verb phrase. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, State University NY at Buffalo.
Kaiser, L. 1997. “The Interaction of Noun Incorporation and Applicative Formation in Ainu”. Yearbook of Morphology, 157–178.
Mcdonald, B. 1983. “Levels of Analysis in Sign Language Research”. In Kyle, J.G. and B. Woll (eds), Language in Sign: An International Perspective on Sign Language. London and Canberra: Croom Helm, 32–40.
Meir, I. 1998. Thematic Structure and Verb Agreement in Israeli Sign Language. Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
Mithun, M. 1984. “The Evolution of Noun Incorporation”. Language 60, 847–894.
Mithun, M. 1986. “The Convergence of Noun Classification Systems”. In Craig (ed.), 379–397.
Rosen, S. 1989. “Two Types of Noun Incorporation: A Lexical Analysis”. Language 65, 294–317.
Sandler, W. 1989. Phonological Representation of the Sign: Linearity and Nonlinearity in ASL Phonology. Dordrecht, Foris.
Schick, B.S. 1990. “Classifier Predicates in American Sign Language”. International Journal of Sign Linguistics 1, 15–40.
Sekular, R., Anstis, S., Braddick, O.J., Brandt, T., Movshon, J.A. and Orban, G. 1990. “The Perception of Motion”. In Spillmann, L., and Werner J.S. (eds), Visual Perception. The Neurophysiological Foundation. San Diego, New York, Berkley and Boston: Academic Press, Inc., 205–230.
Supalla, T. 1982. Structure and Acquisition of Verbs of Motion in American Sign Language.Doctoral dissertation, University of California at San Diego.
Supalla, T. 1986. “The Classifier System in American Sign Language”. In Craig (ed.), 181–214.
Tenny, C. 1989. The Aspectual Interface Hypothesis. Lexicon Project Working Papers 31. Cambridge MA. MIT Working Papers in Linguistics
Tenny, C. 1994. Aspectual Roles and the Syntax-Semantics Interface. Dordrecht, Boston and London: Kluwer Academic Publishers.
Wallin, L. 1990. “Polymorphemic Predicates in Swedish Sign Language”. In Lucas, C. (ed.), Sign Language Research. Theoretical Issues. Washington, Gallaudet University Press, 133–148.
Wilbur, R., Bernstein, M., and Kantor, R. 1985. “The Semantic Domain of Classifiers in American Sign Language. Sign Language Studies 46, 1–35.
Woodbury, H. 1975. “Onondaga Noun Incorporation: Some notes on the interdependence of syntax and semantics”. IJAL 41, 10–20.
Zwitserlood, I. 1996. Who’ll Handle the Object? Unpublished M.A. dissertation, Utrecht University.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2001 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Meir, I. (2001). Verb classifiers as noun incorporation in Israeli sign language. In: Booij, G., van Marle, J. (eds) Yearbook of Morphology 1999. Yearbook of Morphology. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-3722-7_11
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-3722-7_11
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-90-481-5582-8
Online ISBN: 978-94-017-3722-7
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive