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Negative incorporation in French and American sign language1

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 December 2008

James Woodward  and
Susan Desantis
James Woodward
Affiliation:
Linguistics Research Laboratory, Gallaudet College
Susan Desantis
Affiliation:
Linguistics Research Laboratory, Gallaudet College
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Abstract

This paper examines Negative Incorporation in various lects of two historically related sign languages, French Sign Language and American Sign Language. Negative Incorporation not only offers interesting insights into the structure of French and American Sign Language, but also into the descriptive and explanatory power of variation theory. By viewing Negative Incorporation in a dynamic framework, we are able to describe the variable usage of Negative Incorporation as a phonological process in French Sign Language and as a grammatical process in American Sign Language, to argue for possible early creolization in American Sign Language, to show the historical continuum between French Sign Language and American Sign Language despite heavy restructuring, and to demonstrate the influences of social variables on language variation and change, especially illustrating the progressive role of women in sign language change and the conservative forces in French Sign Language as compared with American Sign Language. (Sociolinguistics, sign language, creolization, linguistic changes.)

Type
Articles
Information
Language in Society , Volume 6 , Issue 3 , December 1977 , pp. 379 - 388
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1977

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