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Article published In:
Special Issue in Memory of Irit Meir
Edited by Diane Lillo-Martin, Wendy Sandler, Marie Coppola and Rose Stamp
[Sign Language & Linguistics 23:1/2] 2020
► pp. 112–141

Spatial metaphors in antonym pairs across sign languages

| Stockholm University
| Gallaudet University

We analyze sign locations in 776 signs from 16 antonym pairs across 27 sign languages to examine metaphorical mappings of emotional valence (positive vs. negative) along different spatial axes. We conduct both an automatic and a manual analysis of sign location and movement direction, to investigate cross-linguistic patterns of spatial valence contrasts. Contrary to our hypothesis, negative valence concepts are generally articulated higher up than their positive counterparts. However, when we consider movement in space, we find that although signs generally move downward over time, positive valence concepts are associated with upward movements more often than their negative counterparts. This points to a systematic pattern for vertical valence contrasts – a known metaphor across languages – iconically mapped onto physical sign articulation. We similarly, but surprisingly, find a difference in movements along the sagittal axis, such that outward movement is associated with positive valence concepts more often than negative.

Keywords: spatial metaphor, antonymy, sign languages, typology, iconicity, phonology
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Metaphor and iconicity
  • 3.Data and methodology
    • 3.1Data
    • 3.2Coding
    • 3.3Research questions
  • 4.Results
    • 4.1Sign height
    • 4.2Changes in sign height
    • 4.3Non-vertical dimensions
  • 5.Summary and conclusions
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • References
Published online: 30 October 2020
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/sll.00046.bor
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