Phonological processes in the stream of signing

Abstract

Segments in spoken and sign language interaction do not produce individual units in isolation but in a continuous stream of expression. When using language for communication, the forms of segments can be simplified to make communication more efficient for both communicators and communicants. This communication can result in changes in the way formal units of language are formed. It follows that, as in spoken languages, there are considerable differences in how sign languages are articulated. The differences may manifest in lexis and syntax and in phonetic differences related to social and linguistic factors. In this paper, we focus on the linguistic factors causing differences in the articulation of signs, specifically on the phonological processes within which different adaptations in the forms of signs may occur. For this reason, we will approach several phonological processes in the stream of signing occurring in different national sign languages compared to Slovak sign language and their characteristic features. Understanding phonological processes in the realization of signing can enrich the field of phonetics and phonology in general.