Thinking with the head, seeing with the eyes? Investigating the relationship between place of articulation (PoA) and two semantic domains in German Sign Language (DGS)

Abstract

Iconicity, the (perceived) form-meaning relationship, is present on all linguistic levels insign languages. Looking at the phonological level, there is awell established relationshipbetween the (fore)head as place of articulation (PoA) and the semantic domain of cognitionfor multiple sign languages. In previous studies, this relationship has been suggestedfor German Sign Language (DGS) as well, but none of them looked at the quantitativedistribution of PoAs in signs within the semantic domain of cognition. In thisstudy, we not only investigate the quantitative distribution of PoAs in signs of the semanticdomain of cognition for DGS but also in the semantic domain of visual perception.Findings of this study are in line with previous research, suggesting a strong relationshipbetween the semantic domain of cognition and the associated PoA (fore)head. Forthe semantic domain of visual perception, signs are predominantly articulated near theupper half of the face but not always close to the expected PoA, namely the eyes in thenarrow sense.