The dynamic nature of signs is captured by the movement parameter. This can be described in terms of path (or primary) movements and secondary movements.
Path movements consist in changes in location. To illustrate, the sign street involves a path movement because it requires that the two hands move in the neutral space from a starting location close to the signer's body to a location farther away from it (in front of it).
street (path movement)
Secondary movements consist in changes in handshape and/or orientation. Handshape change is here exemplified by the sign ignorant, in which the handshape changes from extended 5 [-S] to flat closed 5.
ignorant (handshape change)
Orientation change is here exemplified by the sign break, in which the articulatory orientation changes from prone to neutral.
break (orientation change)
The movement component may assume different timing properties. Specifically, signs can include non-repeated or repeated movements. These two possibilities can be phonologically contrastive and are found both with primary and secondary movements.
As for path movement (location change), the phonological contrast between a non-repeated and repeated pattern can be seen in the minimal pair life - live (single vs. repeated).
a. life (non-repeated movement)
b. live (repeated movement)
A minimal pair showing the contrast between single and repeated handshape change is composed by the sign good and a variant form of be_possible (single vs. repeated).
a. good (non-repeated movement)
b. be_possible (repeated movement)
The difference between single and repeated movement can be contrastive in orientation changes, too. This is exemplified by the minimal pair function - motor (single vs. repeated).
a. function (non-repeated movement)
b. motor (repeated movement)
Combinations of different movement types are allowed. The possible combinations are the following: i) location change + handshape change; ii) location change + orientation change; iii) handshape change + orientation change; and iv) location change + handshape change + orientation change.
One example for each combination is provided below. The possibility to combine location and handshape change is exemplified by the citation form of the sign copy, which requires both path movement (from a location farther away from the signer's body to a location close to it) and secondary movement (handshape change from extended 5 [-S] to flat closed 5).
copy (location change + handshape change)
Location change can be combined with orientation change as well. This can be observed in the citation form of the sign first_time, which requires both path movement (from the middle of the neutral space to a higher location) and secondary movement (orientation change determining wrist rotation, from prone to supine).
first_time (location change + orientation change)
The two different types of secondary movements can be combined in one single sign. This possibility is shown in the sign case, in which the handshape changes from F to 5 (opening movement) and the orientation changes from prone to supine (wrist rotation).
case (handshape change + orientation change)
The last option combines all three kinds of movements (location, handshape, and orientation change). It is found in only a few signs and it is here exemplified by the sign hurl. As shown below, the movement of this sign undergoes three different changes: from near the signer's body to a high contralateral location far from it (location change), from handshape 5 to G (handshape change), and from prone to supine (orientation change).
hurl (location change + handshape change + orientation change)