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You are at: homeSign linguistics > The structure of words gestures and signs > Changing signs

Sign Linguistics

5.8 Changing signs

BSL - Video English - Transcript

Sometimes signs start off being highly visually motivated but as they become conventionalised over time, they become more arbitrary e.g. we do not see the visual origin of SISTER and BROTHER today but they may have been visually motivated once. Another example is the sign HOUSE. In the past, the hands sketched out a much clearer and fuller outline of a typical house, but now the sign is less strongly visually motivated.

 


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