Abstract This article looks at cross-linguistic variation in lexical iconicity, addressing the question of to what extent and how this variation is patterned. More than in spoken languages, iconicity is highly frequent in the lexicons of sign languages. It is also highly complex, in that often multiple motivated components jointly shape an iconic lexeme. Recent typological research on spoken languages finds tentative iconic patterning in a large number of basic lexical items, underlining once again the significance of iconicity for human language. The uncontested and widespread use of iconicity found in the lexicons of sign languages enables us to take typological research into lexical iconicity to the next level. Indeed, previous studies have shown cross-linguistic variation in: a) the use of embodying and handling handshapes in sign languages (mostly of European origin) and b) the frequency of space-based size depiction in African and European sign languages. The two types of variation may be interrelated, as handling handshapes may use space-based size depiction. In this study, we first replicate earlier studies on the distribution of embodying and handling handshapes, this time in a data set consisting of a relatively large set of sign languages (n = 11), most of which are used in Africa. The results confirm significant variation across these sign languages. These findings are then compared to the use of space-based size depiction, revealing that these patterns independently from the distribution of embodying/handling handshapes. We argue that the results call for expanding typological studies on representational strategies in iconic signs beyond the now relatively well studied instrument/manipulation alternation. Fine-grained analyses on a multitude of iconic features in signs are likely to reveal cross-linguistic variation in iconic tendencies in SL lexicons.

中文翻译：

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11 种手语中的物体和处理手形：走向标志性手的使用类型学

摘要 本文着眼于词汇象似性的跨语言变异，解决了这种变异在何种程度上以及如何形成模式的问题。与口语相比，象似性在手语词典中非常常见。它也非常复杂，因为通常多个动机成分共同塑造了一个标志性的词位。最近对口语的类型学研究在大量基本词汇项目中发现了试探性的象形图案，再次强调了象形性对人类语言的重要性。在手语词典中发现的无争议和广泛使用的象似性使我们能够将类型学研究对词汇象似性提升到一个新的水平。事实上，之前的研究已经显示了以下方面的跨语言变异：a) 使用手语（主要源自欧洲）体现和处理手形； b) 非洲和欧洲手语中基于空间的尺寸描绘的频率。这两种类型的变化可能是相互关联的，因为处理手形可能会使用基于空间的尺寸描述。在这项研究中，我们首先复制了早期关于体现和处理手形分布的研究，这次是在由一组相对较大的手语（n = 11）组成的数据集中，其中大部分用于非洲。结果证实了这些手语之间的显着差异。然后将这些发现与使用基于空间的尺寸描述进行比较，揭示这些模式独立于体现/处理手形的分布。我们认为，这些结果需要扩大对标志性标志中表征策略的类型学研究，而不仅仅是现在研究相对较好的工具/操作交替。对标志中大量标志性特征的细粒度分析可能会揭示 SL 词典中标志性趋势的跨语言变化。