The Linguistics of British Sign Language: An Introduction

by Rachel Sutton-Spence, Bencie Woll

Overview

This is the first textbook dealing specifically with British sign linguistics. It provides essential support for learners of British Sign Language and others interested in the structure and use of BSL, and assumes no previous knowledge of linguistics and sign language. Technical terms and linguistic jargon are kept to a minimum. The book contains over three hundred illustrations and an index of signs and sign phrases. There are also exercises and a reading list for further independent study.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521631426
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	03/18/1999
Pages:	324
Product dimensions:	5.98(w) x 9.02(h) x 0.87(d)

Table of Contents

Conventions used in the text; 1. Linguistics and sign linguistics; 2. BSL in its social context; 3. Constructing sign sentences; 4. Questions and negation; 5. Mouth patterns and non-manual features in BSL; 6. Morphology and morphemes in BSL; 7. Aspect, manner and mood; 8. Space types and verb types in BSL; 9. The structure of gestures and signs; 10. Visual motivation and metaphor; 11. The established and productive lexicons; 12. Borrowing and naming signs; 13. Socially unacceptable signs; 14. Extended use of language in BSL; Table of illustrations; Index; Index of signs; Bibliography.