There are no obligatory non-manual markers to indicate number. However, there might be an interplay between mouthings (see PHONOLOGY 1.5.2) and manual reduplication: the number of manual reduplications may be influenced by the number of syllables of a co-articulated mouthing, and vice versa. In Video X.a, the plural form of child is produced with the same number of movements as the number of syllables in the simultaneously produced Dutch mouthing [kin-de-ren] ‘children’, i.e. three movements. In Video X.b, however, the sign has only two movements, and the mouthing is reduced to [kin-ren], to fit the sign’s prosodic structure, i.e., the rhythm of the sign.
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a. child++ (mouthing [kinderen]) |
b. child+ (mouthing [kinren]) |
These interactions are, however, not systematic.