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Signing space in Yolngu Sign Language, an aboriginal sign language in Northern Australia („Village Sign“, Collaborative Research (EUROCORES) EuroBABEL „Better Analyses Based on Endangered Languages“, 2009-2012)

Project description

In this project, I explore the use of an Australian Aboriginal sign language as it used by Yolngu Indigenous people in the North East Arnhem Land (Northern Territory). After two exciting fieldwork trips I annotated the data of this alternate sign language and described it on various levels of grammar. Topics discussed range from properties of individual signs to structure of interrogative and negative sentences. The main interests are the manifestation of signing space - the articulatory space surrounding the signers used for grammatical purposes and the complex system of kinship signs in Yolngu Sign Language.

Project outcome