Linguistics: American Sign Language: arbitrariness
ASL grammar and linguistics discussions.
What is arbitrariness in regard to American Sign Language signs?
Arbitrary signs in American Sign Language (ASL) are those where there is no apparent visual or conceptual connection between the sign's form and its meaning. These signs are essentially symbolic and must be learned (rather than intuited) as they do not have an inherent link to the concept they represent. This is similar to how many words in spoken languages have no discernable relation to their meanings.
In ASL, as in other sign languages, while many signs are iconic (having a resemblance to what they represent), a significant number are arbitrary. The meaning of these arbitrary signs is established by convention and agreed upon by the users of the language. Understanding and using these signs rely heavily on memorization and familiarity with the language.
Examples of arbitrary signs that do not have a visual resemblance to the concepts they represent in ASL include:
EACH
EVERY
NUMBER
IMPORTANT
SIMPLE
____are represented by arbitrary signs.
_______ not have any visual link to their meanings in their sign form.
The use of arbitrary signs is a natural part of language evolution and is seen across all languages, not just ASL. Understanding the distinction between iconic and arbitrary signs is crucial for appreciating the complexity and richness of sign languages.
A sign can seem arbitrary to one person but seem iconic to an other person. For example, upon first considering the sign "FOR" you, like most people, would probably decide that the sign "FOR" is arbitrary. However suppose someone explains that the concept of "for" is related to the meaning of front and
that is why we refer to the front of the head as the "forehead." Thus the sign FOR visually indicates the front of the head and in that way is not arbitrary but rather is visually representative of an aspect of the meaning related to the etymology (the history) of the word "for."
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