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Article published In: Thematic issue: Historical Linguistics of Sign Languages
[Diachronica 41:2] 2024
► pp. 149–170

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Disappearing iconicity in the evolution of Polish Sign Language

The case of słodki ‘sweet’

ORCiD logo with link | University of Warsaw
Published online: 5 August 2024
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/dia.23034.ezl
Abstract
In this article, I look at the evolution of Polish Sign Language by closely analyzing the sign słodki ‘sweet’ at all of the stages of its development known to us. By closing in on just one sign we can see that the evolution of a sign is a very complex process. The sign słodki ‘sweet’ has gradually lost its iconic character over time. This is primarily due to linguistic factors, while societal factors have also impacted the sign’s transparency. Although at its inception słodki ‘sweet’ might have been considered iconic and its meaning transparent, today the sign’s motivation would be unclear to people seeing it for the first time, including to native Polish Sign Language users. The sign has undergone many different processes, such as assimilation, channel clearing, reduction and analogy. These processes are discussed in the article in depth; along with a change in society, they have resulted in the etymology of the sign being unknown to users of Polish Sign Language.
Resumé
Dans cet article, nous examinons l’évolution de la langue des signes polonaise en analysant minutieusement le signe słodki ‘doux, sucré’ à toutes les étapes de son développement qui nous sont accessibles. En se concentrant sur un seul signe, nous pouvons constater que l’évolution d’un signe est un processus très complexe. Le signe a progressivement perdu son caractère iconique, principalement pour des raisons linguistiques, mais des raisons sociologiques ont également eu un impact sur la transparence du signe. Bien qu’à ses débuts, elle ait pu être considérée iconique et sa signification transparente, la motivation du signe serait aujourd’hui floue pour ceux qui le voient pour la première fois, aussi bien que pour les utilisateurs natifs de la PJM. Le signe a subi de nombreux processus différents, tels que l’assimilation, le dégagement du canal, la réduction et l’analogie. Ces processus sont discutés en détail dans l’article. Ils ont, conjointement avec un changement dans la société, conduit à ce que l’étymologie du signe n’est pas claire pour les utilisateurs de la langue.
Zusammenfassung
In diesem Artikel betrachten wir die Entwicklung der Polnischen Gebärdensprache, indem wir das Zeichen słodki ‘süß’ in allen uns zur Verfügung stehenden Entwicklungsstadien minutiös analysieren. Durch die Fokussierung auf nur ein Zeichen können wir erkennen, dass die Evolution eines Zeichens ein sehr komplexer Prozess ist. Das Zeichen hat allmählich seinen ikonischen Charakter verloren. Dies geschah hauptsächlich aus linguistischen Gründen, aber auch soziologische Gründe beeinflussten die Transparenz des Zeichens. Obwohl es bei seiner Entstehung womöglich als ikonisch und seine Bedeutung als transparent galten, wäre die Motivation des Zeichens heute für Menschen, die es zum ersten Mal sehen, und für native PJM-Benutzer gleichermaßen unklar. Das Zeichen hat viele verschiedene Prozesse durchlaufen, wie Assimilation, „Channel Clearing“, Reduktion und Analogie. Diese Prozesse werden im Artikel eingehend diskutiert. Zusammen mit einem gesellschaftlichen Wandel führten sie dazu, dass die Etymologie des Zeichens für die Benutzer der Sprache nicht mehr lesbar ist.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
    • 1.1History of Polish Sign Language
    • 1.2Polish Sign Language Dictionaries
  • 2.Evolutionary processes in present research
  • 3.Evolution of the sign słodki ‘sweet’
  • 4.Conclusion
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • Abbreviations
  • References
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Cited by (1)

Cited by one other publication

Power, Justin M., David Quinto‐Pozos & Danny Law
2025. Advances in the Historical Linguistics of Signed Languages. Language and Linguistics Compass 19:6 DOI logo

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