- 學位論文
Syllable Contraction in Taiwan Sign Language
Syllable Contraction in Taiwan Sign Language
並列摘要
This thesis studies syllable contraction in Taiwan Sign Language (TSL) compounding. The first issue to discuss is whether syllable contraction in TSL follows the process of syllable contraction in spoken language. In this thesis, Hus’s (2003) model used in Southern Min is followed. Southern Min is not related to TSL, but only because TSL represents a signed language, and Southern Min represents a spoken language. The second issue is to compare syllable contraction in Southern Min and in TSL. My findings are as follows. First, data shows that different combinations of handshapes and orientations associated to the edges of the uncontracted compound result in different contracted outputs, and the place features and movements are also affected. In addition, after syllable contraction in TSL, movements in the more stressed syllable will be preserved and projected to the nucleus position, especially in the second component signs. The result is a grammatical syllable after compounding and contraction. Moreover, I propose that place features also have a sonority hierarchy, in which head and hand locations are more sonorous than locations on or in front of the body. Their sonority will also influence the four sign parameters and cause effects such as assimilation. Second, there are many similarities of syllable contraction in Southern Min and in TSL, such as the process of syllable contraction in TSL is almost the same as which in Southern Min. The only difference is that movement Epenthesis is only applied in TSL syllable contraction.