Metaphoricity in the Signs of American Sign Language

Abstract

This article reports the results of two experiments on the judgment and interpretation of isolated signs in American Sign Language (ASL). Experiment 1 investigated the classification of ASL signs into three categories: arbitrary signs, iconic signs, and metaphorical signs. The results of this study were that although iconic signs made the most sense, were the most natural, and were the most obvious to participants, metaphorical signs were more sensible, more natural, and more obvious than arbitrary signs. Thus, the classification of some ASL signs into these three categories was validated. Experiment 2 investigated people's ability to accurately guess the meanings of metaphorical and arbitrary signs. The results of this study were that people make far more accurate guesses of the meanings of metaphorical signs. Thus, the conceptual metaphors that motivate metaphorical signs provide a basis for interpreting the signs' meanings. The experiments together suggest that the judgment and interpretation of ASL signs provide insight into the metaphorical structure of the conceptual system. Implications for a variety of lines of research are discussed.