Two faces of sign: iconic and abstract

Area of Science:

• Linguistics
• Sign Language Studies
• Cognitive Science

Background:

• American Sign Language (ASL) discourse incorporates pantomime and spontaneous representations alongside regular signs.
• The relationship between iconic elements and abstract formational parameters in ASL is complex and warrants further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the role of iconicity and pantomime in American Sign Language (ASL).
• To distinguish between pantomime and regular ASL signs.
• To investigate the significance of iconicity for deaf signers and its influence on ASL structure and evolution.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of ASL discourse to identify and categorize spontaneous nonsign representations.
• Establishment of criteria to differentiate pantomime from regular ASL signs.
• Examination of signers' understanding of iconicity and its role in memory and language change.

Main Results:

• ASL communication is enriched by pantomime, though this complicates analysis.
• Criteria exist to distinguish pantomime from ASL signs, but many signs retain iconic qualities.
• Iconicity is not primary in short-term memory coding or historical ASL changes; abstract features dominate.

Conclusions:

• Abstract formational parameters are more significant than iconicity in ASL structure and evolution.
• While iconicity can be used for special effects, it does not drive the core linguistic system of ASL.
• Grammatical processes in visual-gestural languages like ASL prioritize abstract structures over iconic aspects.