Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education Advance Access originally published online on September 12, 2007
The Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education 2008 13(2):303; doi:10.1093/deafed/enm043
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Anatomy?
Department of ASL and Deaf Studies
Gallaudet University
J Ann. (2006). Frequency of Occurrence and Ease of Articulation of Sign Language Handshapes: The Taiwanese Example. Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press. 240 pages. Hardcover. $75.00.
In 1965 in America, William C. Stokoe, along with deaf colleagues Dorothy Casterline and Carl Croneberg, proclaimed sign language as an analyzable entity with parameters such as dez (handshape), tab (location), and sig (movement). Their work on American Sign Language (ASL) had, and still has, a profound ripple effect on an international scale, promoting a plethora of studies resulting in numerous articles, chapters, and books. But who would ever dream that in 31 years, there would be an entire book focusing solely on handshapes?
Linguist Jean Ann has done just that in her study of Taiwanese Sign Language (TSL), an understudied sign language, but one of the more studied sign languages of Asia. According to studies conducted in 1979 and 1984 (Smith and Ting), approximately 56 handshapes in TSL have been identified. That is in comparison to 40–50 handshapes in ASL per various researchers. Ann's work herewith analyzes the relationship between the frequency of occurrence and ease of articulation of TSL handshapes.
The first chapter, with its 10 figures, briefly discusses the two phenomena—frequency of occurrence and ease of articulation—from formal and functional linguistic approaches used in studies of spoken phonology. Ann then discusses how these two approaches affect the study of signed phonology. She cites a number of prominent works, resembling a Who's Who in Sign Linguistics: Battison, Bellugi, Brentari, Corina, Johnson, Kegl, Klima, Liddell, Mandel, Padden, Sandler, Wilbur, Wilcox, and so forth.
The second chapter on the anatomy and physiology of the hand reads like a biology textbook. Eighteen figures depict handshapes in terms of (in) flexibility and dexterity. Although Ann took measures to define anatomical terms, such as phalanges, metacarpals, carpals, and carpometacarpals, these terms were thrown left and right. In short, the metacarpophalangeal joint refers to the knuckle. Re-consulting among the pages became necessary for this reviewer. On the other hand, this chapter may be heaven sent for my brother-in-law, an orthopedic surgeon. Additionally, Ann provides two exercises for the reader to understand the physiology for individual fingers (62–63).
Apparently central to the book is the third chapter, which ironically is the most complex to read. It contains 8 figures, 6 tables, and 34 charts rendering it bewildering at times. The focus here is the physiological ease of handshape articulation. After discussing the criterions for extension, flexion, and opposition of the digits, Ann then applies these criterions to TSL handshapes. She also displays various ease and articulation scores, showing the contrast between one finger and other fingers, in numerous charts. In short, these scores look at the dexterity of the fingers.
The fourth chapter explores the relationship between the ease of articulation and the frequency of occurrence of TSL handshapes. Again its 5 figures and 11 tables make reading cumbersome. Based on her evidence, she finds that the ease of articulation of TSL handshapes does not dictate the frequency of occurrence. Thus, Ann urges further studies on handshapes.
Although this book is often cumbersome to read with its 41 figures, 20 tables, and 34 charts, it would be most meaningful for those schooled in applied linguistics, particularly signed phonology. Furthermore, this text would be beneficial for those wanting to parse handshapes or to compare and contrast handshapes in various signed languages.
CiteULike 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us What's this?
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||