A Grammar of German Sign Language (DGS)

Within this movement type, one can distinguish between (i) changes in orientation and (ii) changes in handshape. The sign tree articulated with the >-hand includes an internal rotation of the arm and is an example of a change in orientation which is reduplicated. The sign gate is articulated with the B-hand, orientation of the palm towards the body and a reduplicated internal movement of the forearm. The sign nod is performed with the 6-hand in the neutral signing space, palm orientation towards the bottom and a secondary movement in the form of nodding with the wrist. DGS comprises three different types of secondary movement in the form of changes in orientation:

Types of changes in orientation	Examples in DGS
Shaking movement	who, why, what
Rotating movement	key, internet, tree
Bending movement	can, yes

Types of secondary movement in the form of changes in orientation

 

a.       who

 

 

 

b.      why

 

 

c.       what

 

 

d.      key

 

 

 

e.       internet

 

 

 

f.       tree

 

g.      can

 

h.       yes

 

 

Signs may be articulated solely by a change in orientation (e.g. key). In other cases, a change in orientation may be combined with a path movement. For example, the sign internet is articulated with two r-hands and the straight path movements of both hands are combined with a change in orientation in the form of a rotating movement.

 

With respect to secondary movement in the form of changes in handshape, DGS shows the following six types:

Types of changes in handshape	Examples in DGS
Opening/closing	pick_up, speak, juice, bird, begin, lamp, flower
Finger wriggling	walk, count, snow, think_about, a_lot, rain
Rubbing	salt, money, feel, silk
Change in degree of curvature	jellyfish, caterpillar, ball_pen
Gradual change in the angle/kinking	soft, mud, name, cry
Shift between straddling and lateral contact of the fingers	scissors

 

Types of secondary movement in the form of changes in handshape

 

Opening/closing handshapes:

 

 

a.       pick_up

 

 

 

b.      speak

 

 

 

c.       juice

 

 

 

d.      bird

 

 

 

e.       begin

 

 

 

f.       lamp

 

 

 

g.      flower

 

 

 

 

Finger wriggling:

 

a.       walk

 

 

 

b.      count

 

 

 

c.       snow

 

 

 

d.      think_about

 

 

 

e.       a_lot

 

 

 

f.       rain

 

 

 

Rubbing:

 

a.       salt

 

 

 

b.      money

 

 

 

c.       feel

 

 

 

d.      silk

 

 

 

 

Change in degree of curvature:

 

a.       jellyfish

 

 

 

b.      caterpillar

 

 

 

c.       ball_pen

 

 

 

Gradual change in the angle/kinking:

 

a.       soft

 

 

 

b.      mud

 

 

 

c.       name

 

 

 

d.      cry

 

 

Shift between straddling and lateral contact of the fingers:

 

a.       scissors

 

 

The sign SNOW is articulated with the >-hand, orientation of the palm away from the body, a curved path movement downward in the neutral signing space and a secondary movement in the form of finger wiggling. Other signs such as bird are articulated solely by a change in handshape. 

Combinations of path movement and secondary movement within a lexical sign are restricted by the rule that both movements are synchronized with respect to the start point and the end point of the sign. Interestingly, there is a difference between the combination possibilities of secondary movement with path movements and holds. Whereas a path movement can always have a secondary movement, for holds, there is a crucial constraint. They may have a secondary movement solely in the absence of a path movement (for syllables in DGS, see the section on [Phonology 2.1.1.]).

Furthermore, for the classification of secondary movement, the factors tempo and the number of reduplications have to be considered. An example of tempo is the sign flower because a flower may flourish fast or slow. Regarding reduplication of secondary movement, finger wiggling and rubbing show relatively diffuse innumerable movement reduplications.