Methodology and Research Materials

This page contain information for collaborators on How to use the Sign language Typology (SLT) kit, as well as two samples from the colour and number questionnaires in International Sign and English.

How to use the Sign Language Typology (SLT) kit

Step 1. Go to the “Games” folder, which contains the Games for data collection. Choose one of these two options, depending on your language preference.

a. Instructions in English*
b. Instructions in International Sign**

Step 2. Go to Questionnaires, and choose one of three options:

a. Use the English questionnaires. * There are extended questionnaires and shorter ones. Choose one of the following options:

1. If you are an experienced sign language researcher, you can use the extended questionnaire straight away. The kinship questionnaire is only available as extended questionnaire.

2. First use the shorter version. Based on the shorter questionnaire we can help you determine which domain is of particular interest from a typological perspective. If certain domains turn out to be rather interesting, you can use the extended questionnaire for that particular domain. This strategy will also be useful to experienced researchers as it will save time. Please note that the kinship questionnaire is only available as extended questionnaire.

b. Use the International sign questionnaires with the answer sheets.**
c. Use the English questionnaires and International sign questionnaires together. Note that the numbers for each question are not always identical between the English and International sign questionnaires.

 * The word files and PDF files are identical. If you cannot view either of them, please download a PDF reader, for instance Adobe Reader at http://get.adobe.com/uk/reader/

** If you have problems viewing the video files, please download the VLC software. This is open source freeware and can be downloaded at http://www.videolan.org/vlc/

Colour questionnaire – Sample

Q6.  Semantics of colour signs

The forms of colour terms in signed languages are often iconic or motivated.  In many signed languages, body parts are indicated to refer to colours. For example, indicating the lips to mean “red”, or the teeth to mean “white”. Another kind of object-based motivation is where the colour sign is identical to the lexical sign for that object, e.g. ORANGE to indicate the colour “orange”.

Signs may also be motivated by a link to the written language for instance in initialised signs where the fingerspelled first letter of a sign is used to for the lexical colours sign. In American Sign Language this happens in the sign for YELLOW which is the Y-handshape with a twisting movement.

In addition to these two kinds of motivation, it is also possible that a colour sign is abstract and has no iconic motivation at all.

Which semantic types do the colour signs in your sign language belong to?

• The sign is semantically related to an object, e.g. a body part TEETH to indicate `white`, or ORANGE to indicate `the colour orange`.
   List the signs in this category.
• The sign is linked to the spoken/written language either through fingerspelling of mouthing or both, e.g. ASL YELLOW
   List the signs in this category.
• The sign is non-iconic.
  List the signs in this category.
• Other, namely...........................................................................................................................
   List the signs in this category.
  

Q.8  Numeral Incorporation

Numeral incorporation is the incorporation of number into lexical paradigms, when signers express the numerical value simultaneously with a lexical element resulting in one complex sign, for example, TWO#YEAR, THREE#YEAR, etc, expressed as a single complex sign. Across sign languages, numeral incorporation is attested with various semantic domains, including time units, monetary units, and educational levels. Time units include YEAR, MONTH, WEEK, HOUR, MINUTE, and SECOND. Signs for monetary units include: POUND, DOLLAR, CENT, or whatever currency is used in the particular country. Signs for educational levels are used with classes/grades with reference to a particular school system of a country. This usually stays within the single-digit area, sometimes also including zero (“class-zero” in Turkey is kindergarten or the university prep year). Finally, numeral incorporation may occur with classifiers, e.g. one upright index finger for a single person, but three upright fingers for three people.
 Please indicate the appropriate option(s) for your sign language.

• There are no recorded cases of numeral incorporation in the sign language.
• Numeral incorporation is used for time units.
• Numeral incorporation is used for monetary items.
• Numeral incorporation is used for educational levels.
• Numeral incorporation is used for classifiers.
• Numeral incorporation occurs in another lexical domain. Please provide full details.
  For each available option, specify the lexical signs with which numeral incorporation occurs, provide examples, and for each lexical sign indicate the cardinal numbers which can be incorporated into the sign.