A Grammar of Sign Language of the Netherlands (NGT)

1.4. Two-handed signs

Secondary movements (also called hand-internal or local movements) are changes in handshape and/or orientation. Handshape can be divided into selected fingers and finger configuration (see PHONOLOGY 1.1.1.1 and 1.1.1.2), but NGT does not allow the selected fingers to change within the syllable (see PHONOLOGY 2.1.1). Therefore, only changes of orientation and finger configuration are described here. An example of a sign with a change of orientation is the sign be_lucky in Figure 2.24:

 

 

Figure 2.24. The start and end configuration of be_lucky, involving a change of orientation (Crasborn et al. 2020).

 

An example of a sign in which the hand configuration (repeatedly) changes from extended to clawed is the sign would_like in Figure 2.25:

 

 

 

Figure 2.25. The start and end configuration of the sign would_like, involving a change of hand configuration.

 

Both these secondary movement types can be repeated in a single sign, as is true for both examples above. The secondary movements can also be combined, as in the sign for internet (Figure 2.26), but this is quite rare (see PHONOLOGY 2.1.1 for more on the movement complexity constraint, which is a constraint on the form of the syllable.

Both types of secondary movement can also combine with all types of path movements. Examples (in glosses) are provided in the table below:

 

Table 2.12. Combinations of path movements and secondary movements.

 

Type of movement

Change in hand configuration

Change in hand orientation

Straight path movement

get_groceries

thursday

Arched path movement

australia

chemistry

Circular path movement

sign_babbling

translate

 

 

 

Figure 2.26. The start and end configuration of the sign internet, which involves a combination of secondary movements.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

List of editors

Ulrika Klomp & Roland Pfau
(note: this grammar is still under construction)

Copyright info

ยฉ 2021 Ulrika Klomp & Roland Pfau

Bibliographical reference for citation

The entire grammar:
Klomp, Ulrika and Roland Pfau (eds.). 2020. A Grammar of Sign Language of the Netherlands (NGT). 1st ed. (SIGN-HUB Sign Language Grammar Series). (http://sign-hub.eu/grammars/...) (Accessed 31-10-2021)

A Chapter:
Smith, Mary. 2020. Syntax: 3. Coordination and Subordination. In Branchini, Chiara and Lara Mantovan (eds.), A Grammar of Italian Sign Language (LIS). 1st ed. (SIGN-HUB Sign Language Grammar Series), 230-237. ((http://sign-hub.eu/grammars/...) (Accessed 31-10-2021)

A Section:
Smith, Mary. 2020. Phonology: 1.1.1.2. Finger configuration. In Mary, Smith, Ben Smith and Carlo Smith (eds.), A Grammar of Catalan Sign Language (LSC). 1st ed. (SIGN-HUB Sign Language Grammar Series), 230-237. (http://sign-hub.eu/grammars/...) (Accessed 31-10-2021)

Smith, Mary. 2020. Syntax: 3.1.2.1.3. Manual markers in disjunctive coordination. In Mary, Smith, Ben Smith and Carlo Smith (eds.), A Grammar of Catalan Sign Language (LSC). 1st edn. (SIGN-HUB Sign Language Grammar Series), 230-237. (http://sign-hub.eu/grammars/...) (Accessed 31-10-2021)