A Reappraisal of the Ties Between Martha's Vineyard Sign Language and Other Sign Languages

IF 0.5 Q3 LINGUISTICS Sign Language Studies Pub Date : 2024-09-06 DOI:10.1353/sls.2024.a936334

Lee Orfila

引用次数: 0

Abstract

Abstract:

Martha's Vineyard Sign Language (MVSL) is an extinct village sign language hypothesized to be a sister of British Sign Language (BSL) and a significant contributor to early American Sign Language (ASL) (Groce 1985). After the last deaf MVSL signer died, signs were elicited from five hearing signers. This study analyzes that data through a series of lexicostatistical comparisons following methodology from Woodward (1978) and Guerra Currie, Meier, and Walters (2002). The results show that a sample of 711 MVSL signs is 67 percent similar to ASL, 74 percent similar to Old ASL (OASL), 56 percent similar to Old French Sign Language (OLSF), and 59 percent similar to BSL. Subsequent etymological analysis suggests that most signs shared by ASL and MVSL originated in Old LSF or ASL, and that signs shared with BSL likely came through ASL to MVSL, not the reverse. This suggests that MVSL did not play a large role in shaping early ASL; however, MVSL data may still be useful in reconstructing OASL.

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重新评估玛莎葡萄园手语与其他手语之间的联系

摘要：玛莎葡萄园手语（MVSL）是一种已灭绝的乡村手语，据推测它是英国手语（BSL）的姊妹篇，也是早期美国手语（ASL）的重要组成部分（Groce，1985 年）。在最后一位聋人 MVSL 手语者去世后，人们从五位健听手语者那里获得了一些手语。本研究按照伍德沃德（Woodward，1978 年）和格拉-库里（Guerra Currie）、迈尔（Meier）和沃尔特斯（Walters，2002 年）的方法，通过一系列词汇统计比较对这些数据进行了分析。结果显示，711 个 MVSL 符号样本与 ASL 的相似度为 67%，与旧 ASL (OASL) 的相似度为 74%，与旧法语手语 (OLSF) 的相似度为 56%，与 BSL 的相似度为 59%。随后的词源学分析表明，ASL 和 MVSL 共享的大多数符号源自旧 LSF 或 ASL，而与 BSL 共享的符号很可能是通过 ASL 传到 MVSL，而不是相反。这表明，MVSL 在早期 ASL 的形成过程中并没有发挥很大的作用；但是，MVSL 数据可能仍然有助于重建 OASL。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Sign Language Studies LINGUISTICS-

CiteScore

1.80

自引率

6.70%

发文量

期刊介绍： Sign Language Studies publishes a wide range of original scholarly articles and essays relevant to signed languages and signing communities. The journal provides a forum for the dissemination of important ideas and opinions concerning these languages and the communities who use them. Topics of interest include linguistics, anthropology, semiotics, Deaf culture, and Deaf history and literature.