Sign Language Studies

The arguments for dividing the signing stream in signed languages into sequences of phonetic segments are compelling. The visual records of instances of actually occurring signs provide evidence of two basic types of segments: postural segments and trans-forming segments. Postural segments specify an alignment of articulatory features, both manual and nonmanual. In contrast, during trans-forming segments at least some of the articulatory features are changing. Both types of segment are divisible into subcategories based on descriptive details of duration and nature of muscular activity. Features that describe the finer details of the manner in which a trans-forming change is accomplished argue for the specification of trans-forming segments as a part of the phonetic record. We conclude that an adequate phonetic representation of signs must account for both postural and transforming segments.