Arbitrariness and Iconicity
Historical Change in American Sign Language
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 2853355 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Nancy Frishberg (corresponding author) |
| Year | 1975 |
| Volume | 51 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Pages | 696 |
| Publication date | 1975-09-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Language (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0097-8507 • E-ISSN: 1535-0665 |
| Publisher | JSTOR (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.2307/412894 |
| OpenAlex | W2037715905 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 150 |
| References cited | 3 |
Grammarians since Saussure have insisted that language symbols are arbitrary, though conventionalized, in form. Sign languages in general, however, and American Sign Language (ASL) in particular, have been noted for their pantomimic or iconic nature. This paper examines some historical processes in ASL, and shows that there is a strong tendency for signs to change in the direction of arbitrariness, rather than maintaining a level of iconicity. Changes at the formational level can be seen as contributing to language-internal consistency, at the expense of transparency
American Sign Language · Arbitrariness · Consistency (knowledge bases) · Iconicity · Linguistics · Sign (mathematics) · Sign language · Transparency (behavior) · Artificial Intelligence · Computer Science · Hearing Impairment and Communication · Language, Metaphor, and Cognition · linguistics and terminology studies · Mathematics · Philosophy
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| Unique citing works | 150 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 3 |
| Citation span | 1976 - 2026 (51) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | Yes |
| Citation types | Neutral: 129 |