A Grammar of Sign Language of the Netherlands (NGT)

When the movement is articulated at a joint that is further away from the body than the joint phonologically specified in the citation form (e.g. at the wrist instead of the elbow), this is called distalization. Distalization can occur, for instance, while a signer is whispering, that is, decreases the size of signs in order not to be perceivable for anyone but the selected addressee(s) (see PHONOLOGY 3.4.2). Distalization can be observed for both signs with a path movement and signs with an articulator-internal movement. In Figure 2.58a, the sign tea is shown in its citation form, with a path movement articulated at the elbow joint. In Figure 2.58b, tea is articulated smaller by moving only the wrist joint.

Figure 2.58. The sign tea articulated in citation form (a) and in distalized form (b).

The movement can also be articulated at a joint that is closer to the body (e.g. at the shoulder instead of the elbow); this is known as proximalization. The result is that the movement becomes larger and thus better visible, and the phenomenon is therefore often seen in shouting (see also PHONOLOGY 3.4.2). In Figure 2.59a, the sign go_to is signed in its citation form, with the movement articulated predominantly through the wrist joint. In Figure 2.59b, the sign is proximalized, as the movement is articulated at the elbow joint.

Figure 2.59. The sign go_to articulated in citation form (a) and in proximalized form (b).

It is likely that there are constraints on both processes, for example, because the perceptual benefit of shifting joints is not the same for every sign, or because the articulatory ease of shifted movement differs per sign. These constraints have, however, not yet been investigated.