The Nominal Group in British Sign Language: A Preliminary Description

Abstract

Research investigating British Sign Language (BSL) – and sign languages more generally – from systemic functional perspectives is gradually increasing but remains nascent overall. The current paper offers a step towards a steadily growing set of functional descriptions of BSL, focusing on the nominal group and potential nominal functions. The findings of a small-scale analysis of publicly accessible BSL data are presented. Videos of BSL users were analyzed to identify patterns regarding nominal functions, wherein Thing, Epithet, Classifier, Numerative and Deictic were observed. These five functions are exemplified and examined in order to dissect how nominal elements may be realized. The summary section of this paper offers a reference table comprising the observations made in this paper for each of the five functions noted above, as well as areas for further investigation. The observations and conclusions drawn in this work can be used as a stable base from which future functional studies and descriptions of sign languages may grow.