Phonological patterns in a dependency model: Allophonic relations grounded in phonetic and iconic motivation

Abstract

In this article we propose a view on sign language phonology that does justice to both a formal phonological description and to the iconic motivation that is noted to be pervasive at all levels of sign structure. First we briefly explain our view on phonology and phonetics. We introduce the dependency model that was designed on the basis of a phonological study of Sign Language of the Netherlands (van der Kooij, 2002) and further developed in the study of Flemish Sign Language (Demey, 2005). In this phonological model distinctiveness as the principal criterion for phonological representation is highly valued. We elaborate upon various phonetic implementation rules, which associate phonological representations with phonetic realizations. Finally, we show how this model breaks new ground by explicitly dealing with iconically motivated form elements. Analogous to phonetic implementation the model provides for semantic implementation rules to connect sublexical meaning with sublexical form.