Contrastive handshapes are handshapes that can distinguish at least two signs that have the same location and movement. See below two pairs of signs where such a meaning distinction is made by different handshapes. In the first pair, luck and wıne, H -handshape and S -handshape are distinctive. In the second pair, chıcken and punıshment, the distinctive handshapes are D-handshape and r-handshape.
luck
wıne
(adapted from Dikyuva, Makaroğlu, & Arık, 2015: 105)
chıcken
punıshment
(adapted from Kubus 2008: 19)
Distinctive handshapes and example signs with the respective handshapes are listed below. Handshape names are given according to the selected fingers or similarity of the handshape to a fingerspelled letter, number, or a lexical sign in TİD.
|
|
Handshape Picture |
Handshape Name |
Example Signs |
|
1 |
|
C-Handshape
|
moon, coffee, devıl, turkey |
|
2 |
|
L-Handshape
|
festıval, shout, wednesday, thursday, vıllage |
|
3 |
|
Closed-O-Handshape
|
green, sılver, please, gold, none, organızatıon |
|
4 |
|
P-Handshape |
fraud, empty, fıght |
|
5 |
|
U-Handshape |
throat, thıck, urfa (city name) |
|
6 |
|
Thumb-Handshape |
presıdent, sports, appoıntıng |
|
7 |
|
Closed-4-Handshape |
ıstanbul, mouse, mırror, equal, closed, karate |
|
8 |
|
Flat-Handshape |
stop, help, hıt, frıend, ıgnorant |
|
9 |
|
Claw-Handshape |
claw, self, mother, own, mad |
|
10 |
|
Bent-Flat-Handshape |
support, funny, granny, cheese |
|
11 |
|
Cup-Handshape |
cup, bınoculars, glass, group |
|
12 |
|
Bent-Flat+Thumb-Handshape |
soft, vıdeo, vote, fıle |
|
13 |
|
Small-Handshape |
|
|
14 |
|
Middle-Selected-Handshape |
punıshment, goal, conscıence, forgıve |
|
15 |
|
Wide-O-Handshape |
pıpe, telescope, laboratory, vertebra |
|
16 |
|
Narrowed-O-Handshape |
matches, permıssıon, few, strıng, easy |
|
17 |
|
Good-Handshape |
good, chıld, eat, problem, guılt, egg |
|
18 |
|
Middle+Thumb-Handshape |
take_out, fıre_somebody, dıet |
|
19 |
|
12-Handshape |
report, not_recognıze, twelve |
|
20 |
|
Covered-T-Handshape |
do/make, dıffıcult, offer, payment |
|
21 |
|
Horn-Handshape |
horn, wander, bed, savıng |
|
22 |
|
Little-Finger-Handshape |
guest, bad, tuesday, favorıtısm, rıdıcule |
|
23 |
|
Little+Thumb-Handshape |
same, heavy, game, aırplane |
|
24 |
|
3-Handshape |
three, agrıculture, de-jure, alawıte |
|
25 |
|
4-Flexed-Handshape |
famıly, prıson, push, defence |
|
26 |
|
V-Handshape |
see, fashıon, polıce, theatre, normal |
|
27 |
|
5-Handshape |
fıve, exıst, want, black, know, dumb, queue |
|
28 |
|
7-Handshape |
seven, gırl, frıday, star, quıck, wıne, traınıng |
|
29 |
|
8-handshape |
eıght, sıt, blue, love |
|
30 |
|
9-Handshape |
nıne, year, wrong, uncle, kıng, gossıp, hot, ınvestıgatıon, fınd |
|
31 |
|
Fist-Handshape |
get_bored, get_angry, accıdent, press |
|
32 |
|
Fingersnapping |
forget, run_away, fast |
|
33 |
|
1-Handshape |
one, command, red, no, luck, sunday |
(adapted from Kubus 2008:39-42 and Dikyuva, Makaroğlu, & Arık 2015:103)
Lexical items usually involve one of the following frequent handshapes: x-handshape and H, and Good-Handshape. Besides, 1, O, >, 2-handshapes constitute a considerable part of the lexicon. Other handshapes such as f -handshape are less frequent.
Handshape includes phonological features of selected fingers and finger configuration. Selected fingers in a sign are the fingers that can be flexed, that can have movement in fingers, or that can contact a location on the body. The pair of signs luck and wıne below have the H -handshape and S -handshape respectively. The former has the index finger, whereas the latter has the index and the middle fingers as the selected fingers.
Finger configuration refers to the flexion properties of selected fingers. The flexion can be in finger joints, that is the first two joints in fingers. The signs luck and hot are distinguished based on finger joints.
luck
wine
hot
(adapted from Makaroğlu, Bekar, & Arık 2014: p.214)
Alternatively, the base joints (the third joints from fingertips) can be flexed. This feature is distinctive as the pair full and funny shows.
full
funny