Cliticization and compound formation are the two processes which can have an influence on the prosodic word in DGS. In cliticization, at least two signs are combined to form a syntactic unit. This process might involve a coalescence [Phonology 3.1.2.] where two phonetic forms are fused into a single one. In the DGS examples below the participles pam and not are cliticized to the stems proud (a), taste (b) and exist (c) respectively.
a. proud^pam
‘proud of’
(based on Steinbach & Pfau, 2007: 323)
b. taste – not – taste^not
‘taste’ – ‘not’ – ‘does not taste (good)’
(based on Schwager, 2012: 76)
c. exist – not – not^exist
‘exist’– ‘not’ – ‘no one’
(based on Schwager, 2012: 76)
In compounding two stems are combined into one lexical unit [Morphology 1.]. This process may include various phonological processes such as syllable reduction or assimilation as can be seen in the DGS examples (a-c) below. In examples (a-c), the movement of the signs sign, colleague and new are reduced when these forms appear in compounds.
a. sign – language – sign^language
‘sign’- ‘language’ – ‘sign language’
(based on Becker, 2001: 155)
b. work – colleague –work^colleague
‘work’ – ‘colleague’ – ‘workmate’
(based on Becker, 2001: 156)
c. new–year – new^year
‘new’ – ‘year’ – ‘new year’
(based on Pfau & Glück, 1997: 35)