Non-manual Component of the Russian Sign Language

Abstract

This article analyzes the features of the non-manual component in the Russian sign language. Based on the video descriptions from the Russian sign language corpus, quantitative and qualitative characteristics of such non-manual markers as eyebrow movements, articulation (labial gestures and mouthing), head movements and gaze direction are specified. As a result, conclusions are made about the role of the non-manual component in the system of natural gestural speech.


Keywords: non-manual markers of the sign language, Russian sign language, multimodality

References
[1] Crasborn O. A. Non-Manual Structures of Sign Languages // Encyclopedia of Language & Linguistics / Keith Brown (Editor-in-Chief), 2006, Vol. 8, pp. 668–672.

[2] Battison R. M. Phonological deletion in American Sign Language // Sign Language Studies, 1974, Vol. 5, pp. 1–19.

[3] Brennan M. The Visual World of BSL: An Introduction // Dictionary of British Sign Language / David Brien (Editor), 1992, pp. 1–33.

[4] Stokoe W. Sign Language Structure: An Outline of the Visual Communication System of the American Deaf // Studies in linguistics: Occasional papers / W. Stokoe, 1960, No. 8, 78 p.

[5] Корпус русского жестового языка [Электронный ресурс] / С. И. Буркова. – Новосибирск, 2012– 2015. Режим доступа: http://rsl.nstu.ru/ (дата обращения: 20.04.19).

[6] Sign Language [Электронный ресурс] // Ethnologue: Languages of the World, 22nd Edition / SIL International Publications. – 2019 – Режим доступа: http://www.ethnologue.com/subgroups/sign- language (дата обращения: 20.04.19).