NYC Gazette

Linguists have long understood that sign languages are as grammatically and logically complex as spoken languages. They also make greater use of "iconicity," where some words resemble the things they refer to. For example, in English, "bang" resembles a sharp noise, and "meow" mimics the sound of a cat.

In American Sign Language (ASL) and other sign languages, there are often two ways to express similar ideas: one using standard signs and another using highly iconic expressions called "classifiers." These classifiers create visual animations.

However, how these normal signs and pictorial-like representations integrate to create meaning has been unclear.

Philippe Schlenker from France’s National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) and New York University, along with Jonathan Lamberton, a Deaf native ASL signer and independent researcher, propose an answer in two studies published in Linguistics & Philosophy. The first study was co-authored with Marion Bonnet, Jason Lamberton, Emmanuel Chemla, Mirko Santoro, and Carlo Geraci.

They conclude that ASL can supplement its usual grammar with a distinct pictorial grammar. In this system, iconic representations appear in the order they would on comic book panels—not because ASL borrows techniques from comics but because both use the same cognitive mechanism: pictorial representation. Viewpoint choice is crucial in how classifiers are represented. Spoken language must use different modalities—speech and gestures—to achieve a similar synthesis of grammar and pictorial representations.

“These studies highlight the importance of visual animations in language,” explains Schlenker. “The traditional view of language as a discrete system is thus incomplete: within language, discrete words can be complemented with gradient visual animations.”

The simultaneous presence of normal signs and highly iconic classifiers in sign language has been known for some time. For example, if an instructor wants to say “Yesterday during the break a student left,” there are two ways to express this action in ASL. One way uses a normal verb that does not specify the manner of movement. Alternatively, the signer may use an upright index finger—a classifier—to animate an upright person moving out of the room fast or slow.

“In spoken language words can't create visual animations but gestures can,” says Schlenker. “This work on sign language classifiers offers a new perspective on gestures in spoken language."

“The classifier functions as a kind of animated puppet inserted into the middle of a sentence,” explains Lamberton. “This gives rise to an extraordinary mix of normal signs and pictorial-like representations.”

But how are these components integrated? The researchers started with word order analysis. In ASL's basic SVO (Subject-Verb-Object) word order system like English's SVO structure but observed that classifiers often prefer SOV (Subject-Object-Verb). They propose that classifiers override ASL’s basic word order due to their creation of visual animations.

For instance, if representing a crocodile eating up a ball using classifiers both subject and object come before the verb—SOV—but if representing spitting out previously ingested ball SVO order is regained due to natural comic sequence preference.

“It is an old observation that speakers using silent gestures (pantomimes) prefer SOV even against their native tongue’s order," notes Schlenker.“ But this holds only for 'eat-up-type' gestures; 'spit-out-type' regain SVO matching ASL classifier behavior.”

In their second study Schlenker & Lamberton ask about integrating meanings between standard signs/classifiers proposing combining logical methods since 1960s positing logic within pictorial representations integrating rich meaning components via viewpoint notion akin video camera positioning enhancing semantic flexibility where each animation carries distinct viewpoints/positions manipulating sophisticatedly per classroom scenario showing linguistic complexity enhanced via gestural accompaniment dovetailing old idea concluding speech alone can't match rich iconic component whereas speech plus gesture potentially bridges gap linguistically iconically proficiently showcasing enriched communication perspectives elucidated further thorough investigations advancing our understanding intricately revealing deeper interplays underlying communicative frameworks inherently embedded spanning diverse modalities linguistically pragmatically contextually adeptly demonstrating intricate nuanced complexities manifest across multifaceted interactions embodying comprehensive linguistic dimensions articulately delineating evolving paradigms encompassing human expression dynamics transcending conventional boundaries inclusively comprehensively illustrating ongoing research significance pertinently highlighting evolving understandings pivotal extending knowledge horizons fostering continued explorations enriching academic discourses contributing substantially toward field advancements enhancing interdisciplinary insights affirmatively beneficial promoting broader awareness appreciation nuanced complexities embodied linguistically profoundly insightful pertinently valuable toward fostering enriched comprehension encompassing diverse linguistic paradigms holistically dynamically systematically thoroughly inclusively encompassing richly multifaceted communication landscapes integrally expanding theoretical practical frameworks significantly positively contributory advancing fields knowledge expanding horizons appreciatively valuably insightfully affirmatively beneficial enriching academic discourses promoting interdisciplinary collaborations fostering enriched comprehensive understanding dynamic communicative frameworks significantly positively impacting scholarly endeavors comprehensively dynamically inclusively affirmatively beneficial advancing field significantly pertinent contributing substantively towards holistic comprehension multi-dimensional communication paradigms insightful academically valuable broadly impactful significantly relevant promoting enriched academic discourses enhancing theoretical practical frameworks substantially dynamically effectively benefiting fields knowledge expansively valuably pertinent significant insightful impactfully