Sign Language Articulators on Phonetic Bearings

This article follows Johnson and Liddell (2011a, 2011b, 2011c, 2012), which introduce the concepts of sequentiality and contrast, a segmental framework consisting of postures and transforms, and features describing the configuration of the fingers and of the thumb. This paper further develops that theory of phonetics, focusing on the placement of the hand on the body and in space. We examine the use of spatial loci in phonetic representations of both indicating and nonindicating signs and find seemingly insurmountable problems. We propose that rather than describing the placement of the hands with respect to spatial loci, the hands locate on, move on, and sometimes align with bearings.