Improving BSL Skills Workshop - using non-manual features
Presented on 27 February 2002
Classifiers
A classifier marks out a referent as belonging to a particular group or category.
There are many spoken languages in the world, including Chinese and Navajo which use classifiers: sometimes they are required by the syntax in much the same way as English requires the use of definite and indefinite articles, eg:
"Give me 'long thin thing' pencil"
It is important to recognise tat we will be helped in using and understanding sign language if we
- start to notice the visual world more
- recognise the structural ways in which this is embedded through BSL
- actively begin to exploit classifier forms.
Be aware
- that the same classifier can be used to refer to objects that are very difference in size; eg: cigarette and tube train;
- that different classifiers can be used to refer to the same object (cf 'dog' example)
This may be one basis for dialect variation.
Notice how classifiers are used in preicates (verb forms), eg:
"Give me the book
Pick up the sock
I put the mug on the table."
Metaphor
Understanding one kind of experience in terms of another, eg:
Life is a flowing river
Political debate is a 'battle' with 'victory and defeat, winners and losers, etc'
Lakoff and Johnson's examples
Happiness is up
Sadness is down
In BSL
Hand actions, eg:
EMANATE
SUN, LIGHT, TRANSMIT
GRASP
UNDERSTAND, CATCH SIGHT
OF
ABSORB
LEARN, LISTEN, ACQUISITION
FLOW/LINES
(5-hand)
MULL OVER, THOUGHT TRANSFERENCE,
HYPOTHESIS
Movements Sets, eg:
INTERACTION
COMMUNICATE, INTERACT, DISCUSS
OPPOSITION
ARGUE, CONFLICT, DEBATE
STATUS
EQUAL, INFERIOR
DEFINITE/INDEFINITE
CERTAIN, TRUE, MAYBE
Note exploitation with conventional locations of head (thought) and chest
(feelings) and
GOOD-BAD handshapes.
Classifier Table*
| Classifier | A |
| Size and shape | Round
or spherical objects; compact or solid objects; horse galloping, ball, head, hoof, jaw |
| Tracing size and shape | |
| Handling | Hold narrow and/or cylindrical objects; |
| Instrumental | Instruments
with round, spherical or solid base; pestle, polo stick, croquet hammer, mallet, poss stick |
| Touch | Actions of the closed fist; boxer, knock, tap, hit, punch |
| Classifier | Å |
| Size and shape | Small, compact object with short upright extension; vinegar, oil shaker, vinegar bottle, candle |
| Tracing size and shape | Tracing outlines of shapes; obese, straight line, arc, braces, curve of stomach |
| Handling | Holding tool with blade or cutting component; potato peeler, razor, carving tool |
| Instrumental | Instruments with blade; carve, razor, scalpel, knife, penknife |
| Touch | Touching small items or areas with thumb; doorbell, sticking plaster, push button, ear plugs |
| Classifier | G/G |
| Size and shape | Objects wich are relatively long and thin, often cylindrical; the person classifier occupies a major paradigm of its own; cigarette, leg, missile, penis, tube train |
| Tracing size and shape | Index fingers trace size, shape or outline of shapes and objects; window, square, triangle, lightning |
| Handling | Holding objects on tip of index finger; contact lenses, plates (as in spinning places) |
| Instrumental | Instruments with a long narrow, often cylindirical component; compass, dowel, knitting needles |
| Touch | Action of the index finger prod, poke, press/push buttons, get at (metaphorical extension) |
| Classifier | G |
| Size and shape | Bent or curved objects; sitting with legs apart, bent legs, hooked nose, hearing aid |
| Tracing size and shape | To trace position and size of (often uneven) lines; tears, cracks, zig-zag patterning |
| Handling | Handling objects with bent index finger; ring pull |
| Instrumental | Instruments with a hooked component; caravan, butcher's hook, crane hook, towing hook |
| Touch |
| Classifier | H |
| Size and shape | Straight narrow objects; dormitory, bed, bench, ears of rabbits, legs of animals |
| Tracing size and shape | Tracing position and shape of objects; corridor, bridge, river, path, chef's hat |
| Handling | |
| Instrumental | Long, narrow instruments, especially relating to cutlery; knife, spoon, cutlery, spurtle |
| Touch |
| Classifier | V/V |
| Size and shape | Objects with two fixed but moveable long narrow extension and wedge-shaped objects; compasses, legs, scissors, medal (ribbons), glasses |
| Tracing size and shape | Tracing the size, position and outline of narrow objects; mayor, stripes, ribbons, collar, chain of office |
| Handling | Handling objects between the extended index and middle fingers; smoke, cigarette, cigar |
| Instrumental | Instruments with two fixed but moveable extensions; scissors, compasses, fork |
| Touch |
| Classifier | V |
| Size and shape | Object with parallel surfaces, one wider than the other; badge, brooch, slide, hair clip, paper clip |
| Tracing size and shape | |
| Handling | Handling of narrow object with extension; hypodermic syringe, inject, vaccinate, take blood |
| Instrumental | Instruments with parallel surfaces, one wider than the other |
| Touch | rare |
| Classifier | V |
| Size and shape | Objects with two fixed but moveable bent extensions; bent objects; drunk, legs (highly productive), trolley wires, inverted commas |
| Tracing size and shape | Tracing the position, size and outline of stripes or lines, especially uneven lines: rare |
| Handling | Handling of objects by the two bent fingers; tube (safety strap in tube train), circular aperture |
| Instrumental | Instruments with two, possibly bent, extensions; fork, prongs, double hook |
| Touch | Touch with two bent fingers; rare |
| Classifier | V |
| Size and shape | Round or spherical objects with three bent narrow extensions; spiral of coins, badge, watch, stone, claws |
| Tracing size and shape | Tracing usually by a twisting action, a circular shape, swelling or bump shown by outward movement; owl, circular markings, brooch, panda, bump |
| Handling | Handling of round, spherical or uneven objects; chess player, stone, eyes (metaphorical handling), can't believe one's eyes |
| Instrumental | Instruments with three bent prongs; mechanical claw |
| Touch | rare |
| Classifier | Y |
| Size and shape | Solid objects with extensions at each side or each end; typetalk, teapot, aeroplace, horns, telephone |
| Tracing size and shape | Tracing the position, size and outline of narrow objects; cheque, envelope, card, programme, leaflet |
| Handling | Handling of solid items with extensions at either end; telephone, payphone, pipe, kettle, acoustic modem |
| Instrumental | Instruments which have a narrow extension and are grasped by the closed fingers; stirring implement |
| Touch |
| Classifier | 5 |
| Size and shape | Objects with many long extensions; crowd congregating, procupine, punk hairstyle, eyelashes |
| Tracing size and shape | Tracing the position and size of stripes and lines and of (usually) undulating surfaces; sea, stripes, mesh, countryside, field |
| Handling | Handling large, flat-sided or bulky items; carry heavy machine, carry large box |
| Instrumental | Instruments with several or many long, narrow extensions; garden rake, car-wash rushes, grinding machine |
| Touch | Actions of the whole hands, the palms and the fingers; minicom, bounce, knead plasticene, type, remote control |
*Adapted from Brennan, M (1992) 'The visual world of British Sign Language:
an introduction' in
Brien, D (1992) The Dictionary of British Sign Language/English.
London: Faber and Faber